it is tuesday, july7th. here are the faces of the stories driving the headlines today in the cnn newsroom. michael jackson's fans, multitudes have jammed downtown los angeles for the singer's memorial service in two hours. the jackson family at a private memorial about to get started in hollywood hills. and a superstar guest list. his mentors prepare to take the stage at staples center in his honor. hello, everyone. i'm tony harris and you are in the cnn newsroom. and today in the newsroom we are celebrating the life of michael jackson. we now know that michael

jackson's body will be taken to staples center today where a spectacular memorial will play out as millions watch around the world. the jackson family will say their final good-byes this hour at forest lawn cemetery. the family then heads to the staples center to join the fans. let's join our ted rowlands live. ted, what do you have for us? >> reporter: well, tony, we have seen a few people arrive here at forest lawn that are obviously invited guests. just a couple cars. also, we understand that the family has left the encino home, so we anticipate them arriving here very soon. it shouldn't take more than ten to 15 minutes to get from the encino home to here at forest lawn. we do expect their arrival soon. there is a massive police presence, the entire roadway feeding into forest lawn cemetery, which is a fairly large thoroughfare here in los angeles, has been closed off

completely to the public. only access is for police and for the invited guests with special plackers. we are awaiting the arrival of the family, very intense security here. we appear to see invited guests with their cars getting looked over, going through security and heading up to the interior of the cemetery. >> ted row lapds, we'll be back to you shortly. we'll go to thelma gutierrez outside the jackson encino home. thelma, describe the scene there. >> reporter: tony, i can tell you it was a very impressive sight just a few minutes ago. there was a huge motorcade. you saw 16 vehicles, including two limousine buses with a bunch of unmarked black suvs all leaving the jackson family home. you take a look and you can see the aftermath. this road right up to the entrance of the house was

completely closed down. a very, very strong police presence out here. they have put barricades up along the road to keep the road open so the motorcade can leave. now they have opened it up and you can see all the fans now pouring into the area waiting to sign cards and to leave flowers, that kind of thing, right in front of the family's house. again, a very impressive sight, very well orchestrated, tony. we saw jermaine jackson, who pulled up in one of the limousines, he waved to fans and the car pulled behind the gate. we saw latohya jackson as well. we are told they sent out advisories to the neighbors in the upsale, quiet encino neighborhood. they told people to expect this. they told them to expect the media and to expect all the officers who are out here and all the helicopters that were

flying above, you know, to let them know that this was going to happen. and they said that they would be here and that the california highway patrol would escort the motorcade all the way down to forest lawn in the hollywood hills. so that's what they actually told the neighbors out here, tony. >> okay, thelma gutierrez, appreciate it. thank you. we'll take you to the staples center in los angeles where don lemon is. don, we heard the family is on its way to the private service. >> reporter: yeah, that's right, tony. the family is on its way and we have live pictures coming from encino. we'll show the video of the pictures of the family earlier, you saw the motorcade, all the black cars there. we are not exactly sure, we believe they are going to forest lawn, but we are hearing from people close to the family that the forest lawn part of the gathering was last night and whatever they do there will be short or maybe they are going over to escort michael jackson's

body. do we have the pictures? can we get that up, please? they are going to escort michael jackson's body to the staples center. we have heard the word that michael jackson's body will be here at the staples center. joe jackson was seen waving to the crowd with several other jackson family members leaving the compound in encino. it has been a huge crush of people at the family compound in encino all week long trying to get a glimpse of anyone in the family or to speak to anyone who might come out and talk. we are hearing that the body of michael jackson will be here. it will be driven here. it is believed that they were going to try to helicopter it in, but it was too dangerous, they couldn't get insurance, they didn't know exactly where to land because of the closure and everything being blocked off here. again, those are the pictures out of encino. we'll get you to to the staples

center where they are setting up here. we got here and there were just the people doing the setup inside the staples center here. all the lights were on, but since we have been here for 15 to 20 minutes now, you are starting to see more people coming in. i imagine they are going to start letting the people who got the tickets in here in just a little bit, but on the stage here, there is a big monitor that says in loving memory to the king of pop, 1958-2009. there are a lot of instruments set up for the people who will be performing. i also asked people about whether or not people will be talking or able to broadcast during this. they said, no, this is, indeed, just like a funeral for michael jackson. all of the same respects, everything that you do at a funeral, that is what they expect from people here. again, zero tolerance policy from the los angeles police department. i just want to go over quickly, tony, the people you are going to see on the stage right there

behind me, ron boyd, a family friend. kobe bryant, a basketball for the l.a. lakers, mariah carey, andre crouch, you know his choir. barry gourdy, jennifer hudson, also, the finalist from "britain's got talent." magic johnson. martin luther king iii. the reverend al sharpton, brooke shields, usher and stevie wonder. if you -- i am hearing soledad o'brien in my ear, if you can take that out, i appreciate that. that is the family on the way here. that's a shot from our affiliate ktla making their way do to the staples center or to forest lawn to pay memory to their loved

one. we are here inside and there are a small number of media inside here. you can see it here on cnn. i'm not sure where you'll be able to get this sort of behind-the-scenes view of what is taking place at the funeral or at the memorial service but here on cnn. this is really an amazing view that we have of history for the people who are, not only for the journalists, but the people outside who can see it here and the people all over the world watching us. >> don, we appreciate it so much. we have to get to business here before we turn it over to our friends in new york and back to you in los angeles. first of all, let's get to the new york stock exchange very quickly here. we want to give you a quick look at how stocks are faring today. obviously, we can't devote a lot of time to this because of the memorial service, but very quickly, if dow is down 72 points just past 90 minutes into the trading day. again, family and friends gathering to say a final

farewell to michael jackson. cnn continues with live coverage from new york and los angeles and around the world in a moment. kelly saunder's nature valley,

the place that inspires her to go faster... and slower, elk mountains, colorado. where's yours?

100% natural nature valley granola bars. the taste nature intended.

hello, everyone. i'm don lemon live from los angeles inside the staples center. we are continuing our coverage with the tribute to michael jackson. all the behind-the-scenes preparations are happening inside the staples center right now. i want to go outside to my colleagues soledad o'brien and anderson cooper following things out there. soledad and anderson, this is amazing to see the number of journalists and the number of people. it is quite the spectacle. >> yeah, don. people have not been admitted to the staples center itself, but there are already probably several thousand people waiting to get in. slowly they are being allowed into the area, this is the innermost court that the crowds can get to. you can see the white billboards that people have been signing.

>> it is incredibly calm. i wasn't sure what to expect, but with such a large crowd you can see a tone that is not particularly somber. every so often you hear a cheer rise up from the crowd as people are celebrating his life, at least the folks here below us as we are on a riser high above them. then, also, very calm. there's a whole system of wristbands so people can get through. police all over the police are checking things. what you see is a very organized and calm orderly here at the staples center. >> 1.5 million people applied to get tickets. 18,000 seats were available for the public. the jackson family had 9,000 seats for family and friends. probably in the crowd, there are several hundred people right now. what is interesting, occasionally, there is sort of a sense of some momentum building.

you hear people talking to one another, occasionally, somebody lets out a chant and other people join in and applaud. there's a lot of excitement building here. the shot is the jackson family approaching the forest lawn cemetery. it is about a 15-minute drive? >> yeah, it takes about 15 minutes. what is interesting about the burial place is it is shielded from the media. they are able to pull a hearse inside there and everything that goes on really can be shielded from the media coverage because, no shock here to say that the number of people and the number of media cameras surrounding the fence right there, the interest has been huge, it has been global. in fact, there's a shot of a very small portion of the satellite trucks taking part in all of this. really, we are seeing the beginning, the very beginning of this private service, this private ceremony. >> ted rowlands is standing by

at forest lawn. what do we know about the service taking place? >> reporter: we don't know much, anderson, in terms of detail, but we do know it has been extremely private and the details of what will actually go on there have been very well guarded by the family. we are seeing a large procession as you can see here of folks just arriving here, the first lead car going into forest lawn had joe jackson, michael jackson's father, in it. it has been difficult to see who has been in the vehicles, but clearly the ceremony will take in excess of an hour and then we'll see the same procession most likely with michael jackson's body heading down to the staples center. >> ted, michael jackson is already at forest lawn. we believe he was brought there last night, is that correct? >> reporter: yes, we believe he was brought here last night and family members were here last night, a small group of family members came to forest lawn last

night. we don't know if it was a viewing or if it was just preparation, but there were a few family members, including latoya jackson, michael jackson's sister, and there was a hearse as well, which we believe contained michael jackson's body. >> then, as far as we know, the service at forest lawn will take place around 8:00 a.m. pacific coast time. we don't know how long it will be because we frankly don't know much about what the service will entail. will michael jackson's body be brought to the staples center? >> reporter: yes, that's what we have confirmed. michael jackson's body will be at staples center for the public memorial scheduled to start at 10:00 pacific, but as you mentioned, this was supposed to start at 8:00 pacific. it will most likely be fluent depending on the length of the private ceremony as to what time the public ceremony gets underway, but we believe michael jackson's body will be part of the motorcade leaving forest lawn cemetery and heads to

staples center at the conclusion of the private family gathering. >> i believe there are five forest lawn cemeteries in the area. why, do you know why, ted, they picked the hollywood hills one? i believe this is where lucille ball is married and marvin gay, is it because of the extra privacy? >> reporter: most likely. you are right, there are several forest lawn cemeteries. one of the bigger things starting to emerge is which forest lawn and where. the other question that hasn't been answered and that the family has kept guarded is where will michael jackson's final resting place be? last week on thursday evening, jermaine jackson said he was still holding out hope that michael jackson could be laid to rest at neverland, but local laws at this point don't allow that. they are trying to work those out, at least the family was, and there is speculation that

michael jackson will be laid to rest here at forest lawn. this would be a logical place, but that's the big question, we don't know what the family has come up with for a final resting spot for michael jackson. >> ted, i want you to stand by there at forest lawn as we take a look at maybe who is getting out. ted, maybe you can identify someone along the way. obviously, there are other problems for any other kind of burial at neverland, there's a lot of debt at neverland. it is co-owned or the investment company actually owns a lot of the debt on it, is that not correct, ted? >> reporter: yeah, absolutely. this investment company says it was hoping to talk to the folks up there last week, to go into partnership with michael jackson. you remember they had the planned auction of all of michael jackson's goods. well, they stopped the auction and the items were purchased. the plan was that michael

jackson would sort of be a partner with them as they decided what to do with neverland, but i can tell you this, anderson, clearly, there's a large camp of folks within the jackson family and within the investment group that would like to see neverland turn into a greater scenario, if you will. >> ted, i would like to tell the viewers that we are seeing catherine jackson walk there with a slight rimp, she had polio, we are also joined with michael monroe from "jet" magazine. this is roadway markable family in many ways. they have had their ups, they have had their downs, there is, obviously, a lot of tension and drama as there is in many families, but there are really few families on the public stage like this. >> they have come together at this really taj tragic event. they go back to their time in

gary, indiana. joe jackson was there for michael at every turn. having them come together at this moment is solemn and symbolic. >> katherine jackson is now the guardian for michael jackson's three children. we have not seen them emerging from the vehicles, but we anticipate they will be at this ceremony right now and here at the staples center. >> brian, has the family held tight together? i mean, anderson talked about the ups and the downs very much in public view, are they still all very close? >> they are, indeed. you have, in addition to michael, you have janet, randy, marlon, tito, jermaine, and the sisters, they have all come together. throughout the years, the music careers, they have each had single careers. tito does bass and jazz music, jermaine has had a recording contract, but all of them have

music in their vains, but also the love for the family in their veins. >> it is so interesting to watch as a large number of the suvs and blacktown cars have pulled up at the forest lawn cemetery to begin this private service. it was supposed to start at 8:00 in the morning west coast time, so they are just running a few minutes behind schedule. at the same time, where we are, we have thousands of people. the number has really grown in the few minutes that we have been on talking about it. behind us, the number of people who have come out to the staples center, they are not getting in. they are still at the doorway. every so often a cheer goes up and somebody says something like a chant, and a cheer goes up. we know don lemon is going to be reporting live from inside the sames center. we'll also continue to watch what's happening at the staples center. it is interesting, the hearse when it went in, there's an auditorium where people can pull

the hearse in and you can have a viewing at the cemetery. potentially, the casket can be unloaded and not seen by the media. you can see it is difficult to see. it is a mass -- there we go. >> jermaine there. >> yes, he has been vocal within the last week or so. is that surprising? >> he has been a key spokesman for the family and was the first to split from the original jacksson five back when they were a group. he had his own single recording career, but he has always been the voice and, in fact, we have seen him do interviews where he recently saying he hopes michael will be returned to neverland. >> the company that owns neverland has a giant mortgage on it, somewhere near $23 million. all those things will play a role in whether or not michael jackson is returned to neverland as jer maip would like. >> they came in last minute to

save it before it was foreclosed. >> there was an effort in the last few days by the jackson family to take over more control of michael jackson's estate. they have contested in court the provision in michael jackson's will naming two executors, both industry experts, people respected in the music industry, who really shepherded michael jackson's career and helped him or was present in making the business decisions that are often credited with getting him so much money. the jackson family lost that effort in court. the will remains just as michael jackson wanted with the two executors he wanted. >> don bronca and john mclane are long-time friends of michael. bronca was michael jackson's

best man. oddly enough, they go back together. you mentioned the atv catalog with the beatles music, when michael brought that in 1985 for $37 hpt 5 million, bronca initiated the deal. he offered to give him back his music. >> this is the family which in grief has rejoined together as news of michael jackson's death spreads. jermaine jackson said he heard about it from cnn. he was driving and got a call from a producer saying that michael jackson had gone into cardiac arrest and was taken to the hospital. he then called his sister and his mother to find out more details and rushed to the hospital. the father who lives in las vegas, katherine lives in encino, california, the father

lives in las vegas, they are still married but have been separated for many years. >> they have separate homes. in fact, people would see joseph a lot in vegas at grocery stores and various events. >> we are watching family members and friends come into the hall liberty at forest lawn with seating for well over 1,000 people to come in. we know the jackson family has many thousands of tickets here later for the memorial to be held at the staples center. we know a number of people are coming in for this first part of the private family and friends gathering to remember michael jackson. you were talking about john bronca and john mclane, it is a temporary position, but their job is to protect against losses for the estate right away. >> a lot will happen in the next few days, not only increased sales from michael's own albums,

but also what is going to happen with perhaps a possible dvd to come out of the rehearsal, you saw the video earlier from aeg. >> they say they have more than 100 hours of behind-the-scenes footage. i interviewed randy phillips from aeg, they are ready to go and want to do something, and they also want to somehow salvage the show they have put together and make a tribute concert to michael jackson. >> they have done a lot of work. they were almost ready to go for the july 13th performance. i talked to the folks part of the show, part of the band, and the energy in the rehearsal was phenomenal. michael was on it, he had his a-game, he was energetic, the dance moves were there. if they were able to salvage any of that, it could be a great viewing. >> they have to return the money, of course, from the ticket sales. so aeg wouldn't be as surprised as they turn over that money. >> some of the folks want to keep their tickets as a

souvenir. >> back to the physical memorial and we'll see that today as people are signing behind us here at the staples center, i guess you call them a big white board with michael jackson's name. people are really taking a moment as they head into the staples center or get ready to head in to sign their names and be a part of the massive tribute. what a lucky bunch of folks. well over 1.5 million people online trying to get these very tickets. for these folks to be here, you have to get through several curtains. you have to have a special wristband, they are the chosen few who really are part of a remarkable, going to be part of a remarkable tribute today. >> this is taken from the ritz carlton hotel across the street from where we are. this is created by aeg live. they created this spot in downtown los angeles. we have a number of reporters standing by all over the place

to have remarkable coverage all throughout the day on this event. what may be the largest sendoff los angeles has seen for a celebrity. still some people milling around outside forest lawn, outside the area where the service is going to be taking place. ted rowlands is standing by there for us live. ted, i know -- are there many people assembled there? i mean, the crowds who kind of wanted to witness the passing of michael jackson and see, get a glimpse of his hearse or the family? >> reporter: no, and the reason is, anderson, there was so much speculation on exactly where michael jackson's body was and if the ceremony would take place. only over the last couple of days was it certain that this, indeed, was the spot the family would gather. since then the los angeles police have been very sure to block access. there's a lot of -- in fact, the main road out here is completely blocked off to public traffic,

so if people were going to come down here, they would have to do so on foot and travel be it a good quarter to half a mile from this spot. for that reason, we have seen very few fans, if you will, or onlookers. it is mainly media or police outside forest lawn cemetery. >> ted, last night around 9:00 or 9:30 or so, we were watching on a live feed as a hearse came to forest lawn. there were a number of people wanting to get a glimpse, i'm not sure who was coming and going, but they were able to see latoya jackson. there are the doors about to close at forest lawn cemetery as the private service begins. our coverage will continue all throughout the day here. in a moment, we'll take you inside the staples center and show you where we believe the body of michael jackson will lay throughout this entire performance and throughout this entire remembrance and celebration of the life of

michael jackson. don lemon is inside. he'll give you that view in a moment. we'll take a short break.

all throughout this day we'll be playing some of michael jackson's most memorable songs,

even some you may not know. brian, we are already hearing reports of the service, we are hearing some of the songs we are going to hear. >> reporter: we understand we could hear a rendition of the charlie chaplin song "smile." lionel richard will sing "we are the world." jennifer hudson is expected to perform. jon mayor, yes. >> let's go inside where don lemon is standing by. the picture you are seeing is forest lawn cemetery where the service is underway. we don't know what sort of a service, but michael jackson's body is present there, we believe. we saw katherine jackson and others. >> i believe it was michael jackson's children going in the hall of liberty with katherine jackson. i think they were getting out of the roles royce sedans. >> katherine jackson has custody of the three children, but that could change down the road

depending on what debbie rowe decides to do or to push for visitation, but this is the scene inside the staples center where the -- in loving memory, you see that, michael jackson, the king of pop, 1958-2009. >> they are just opening the doors. >> reporter: people are very quiet. they are doing a sound check. i want to tell the viewers, if you hear something loud and out of the way, they are doing a sound and lighting check. just to talk about all the things you were talking about earlier, anderson, as you know, i had a long conversation about john bronca, i was the only reporter to talk to john bronca, he is an executor of michael jackson's assets and will. he managed michael jackson's career at the height of his success. many believe that the only reason michael jackson had anything to leave to his mom and to his children and charity is because of john bronca and the

deals they made back in the 1980s. the sony and atv deal, michael has a huge stake in that. it is valued up to $2 billion. and also michael jackson's image and merchandising in the future will be worth much more than that. john bronca's message to his fans and to michael jackson's mother is that the family has nothing to worry about, that the will and the trust will be administered just as they were specified. those people will be taken care of, really, for the rest of their lives. michael jackson was john bronca's best man back in 1997. they are really good friends. that's the person in charge of the will. getting to the body, real quickly, we learned the body will be here and the family could bring the body with them

in a procession. they didn't want to cause any sort of chaos, but michael jackson's body will be here. again, anderson and soledad, there was a private gathering last night as well and family members decided then that they wanted to pay tribute to michael and they wanted the fans to see michael jackson. so they decided to bring the body here. another private service will be held after this at an undisclosed location. lots of different facets to the story. they are preparing the stage as we speak and michael jackson fans are starting to gather here in the staples center. >> don, when we look at the stage, what are we looking at in it is hard to see from the vantage point we see, we see a number of flowers at the front of the stage, is that where we believe michael jackson's casket will be? >> reporter: yeah, every funeral i've been to, and that's what the family and friends say, this is really a funeral for michael jackson, a mass funeral. they usually have the coffin

right in front there, so there is an opening, if you see in the middle, david, push into that. you can see all the flowers and the bouquets. that's believed to be where michael jackson's casket is. here's the question people are concerned about is whether or not it will be open. a lot of people are hoping that it is not open, but that's -- the body will be here and the casket will be here. abouterson, anderson, you called it. the body will be there at the front by the flowers. >> when you come to the staples center, you can see a massive heart that says "we love you." also, the white walls, people are writing tributes. this is a good opportunity to tell people we would like to hear about michael jackson's remembrances at cnn.com. we have had hundreds of people writing in their stories, their favorite music from michael

jackson, but that "we love you michael" is made of red flowers. it is massive. to give you the scope here, you saw two dunz mounted police officers doing crowd control, obviously. the perimeter issue is always a concern. it has been calm so far, but they have done it brilliantly every step of the way. every block you move in, you need a special wristband. those coming this far are the ones who get into the service. >> they did a great job. if you look around the staples center complex, they cornered off the four blocks around the facility and you can't get through unless you have a ticket and the proper wristband. there's fear from earlier of people scalping the tickets and the wristbands, we have not seen a lot of that happening so far, but as we are hearing around this, the helicopters are flying and there are a dozen giant television screens flashing images of michael.

>> that's one of the more remarkable things we have not mentioned, there are massive screens. some are big and some are massive. you can see one on the right side of the screen, they are showing pictures of michael in all the stages of his life. michael with the giant afro, michael with oprah, michael with nelson man della and him with ron and nancy reagan. it gives you the scope of his career and the scope of his presence as an icon. >> the people in the crowd, they are all races from all over the united states, and a huge variety in ages. each of them sort of remembers a different michael jackson. each of them has a particular touch stone in the life of michael jackson that means something to them. >> it is really something. me, personally, my sister and i, when we grew up, we fought over the first album we bought which was "abc." we bought it with our lunch money. for my kids, it is discovering a whole new michael jackson. >> everyone, i think, remembers

michael differently in terms of what michael they fell in love with. was it "thriller" or the album you bought in high school? maybe you saw the jackson tv show or was it the older michael jackson. i think a lot of people who sometime thought he was unrecognizable after the plastic surgery on his face and he was morphing into a different looking human being. with all that came a lot of problems and issues. >> the one thing with all that has been the music. during the jackson five times, whether he was -- the music throughout the ages was consistently strong, even towards his later years where he got a little angry and had a harder edge, none of his work was considered -- if you look at today's muse wick the lyrics and the profanity, he refused to go there. >> we are getting a first look

at the from for this event. don lemon has that. what does it look like? what do you see? >> reporter: it is quite an impressive book here. it is a little unorthodox because i have to have this for the noise, so i'm going to guide you through this a bit. this says michael jackson, the king of pop. a celebration of life. 1959-2009. by the way, one of the people who got a ticket brought this to me. we want to thank carla for that. here's a nice picture of michael jackson directing one of his videos with him behind the camera. then a long -- it talks about michael. there's a message from latoya and jeffrey phillips inside the program. michael jackson and the jackson five here. a colored picture below. then it shows the guys doing their victory tour, the

comeback. then it says, michael jackson, the world. michael is with me always and we'll make the light shine again for michael. that's a message from tito right there inside. look at this. beautiful pictures of michael jackson with dignitaries here from george bush, the first george bush president, his mom, katherine jackson, the former president bill clinton, the secretary of state now, hillary clinton, nelson mandela here, join collins, latoya jackson, one with former president ronald reagan, his buddy, liz taylor, who is going to pay tribute to michael jackson in private. there's one with carrie grant in here. there's one with janet as a kid. janet, reba, latoya, all the brothers. really great shots of michael jackson.

i have to point this out. there's a quote in here from psalm 37:29. another quote here from the bib bible. here's a quote from his former attorney. also, one from grace in rwanda. this is the first look at the program. really, a beautiful, beautiful book here, anderson and soledad. to to get your hands on one of these for the michael jackson fans is an honor and a thrill. >> you are right, john. it looks beautiful from here. it is a collector's item, for sure. we'll take you to the hollywood forest lawn cemetery where we saw family members go inside to a private gathering as they say good-bye to michael jackson inside. you can see there's an auditorium inside that holds roughly 1200 people with the cars parked outside while they wait for the service to end.

after that service, they will be coming here for the memorial to take place just inside where you saw don lemon a few moments ago. you have seen quintly in all the shots the police officers, the security presence here is massive. massive at forest lawn, massive at the staples center here, and i can guarantee you mass i have massive every step of the way to bring family and friends here to the staples center as we remember the life of michael jackson. stay with us. back in a moment. ♪ [ female announcer ] arthritis targets your body where it's weak.

where it's vulnerable. ♪ tylenol arthritis works with your body to block the pain, without interfering with certain high blood pressure medicines like aleve sometimes can. ♪ so you don't just feel better, you feel better knowing doctors recommend tylenol more than any other brand of pain reliever. ♪ dinner bell sfx: ping ping ping fancy feast elegant medleys tuscany entrées restaurant inspired dishes with long grain rice and garden greens is it love? or is it fancy feast? into revolutionary performance. one word makes the difference between defining the mission and accomplishing the mission. one word makes the difference in defending our nation

and the cause of freedom. how... is the word that makes all the difference. geico's been saving people money and who doesn't want value for their dollar?

been true since the day i made my first dollar. where is that dollar? i got it out to show you... uhh... was it rather old and wrinkly? yeah, you saw it? umm fancy a crisp? geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. i think i'll go with the preferred package. good choice. only meineke lets you choose the brake service that's right for you. and save 50% on pads and shoes. meineke.

the music of michael jackson lives on even though the man is gone. today is a remembrance and celebration of the life of michael jackson. that's outside the staples center here where thousands have gathered, slowly getting themselveses into the auditorium for an event to take place at 10:00 a.m. pacific time, though it is likely to be delayed because the service, which is happening right now, we'll take you over to forest lawn cemetery in the hollywood hills about 20 minutes from where we are downtown at the staples center. the private ceremony is underway as we speak. we saw katherine jackson, the children, jermaine jackson, the entire family is inside with friends. the service is underway now. michael jackson's body is there.

then there's going to be a process from there, we believe the body of michael jackson will be brought to the staples center where the performances will be under way. we have reporters all across. ted rowland is at forest lawn cemetery, kara finnstrom is in the crowd. we are joined by stuart backerman. you worked with him from 2002? >> early 2004, yes. >> as you -- i mean, your thoughts on today, as you see this service under way? >> on a certain level, i think it's a beautiful thing. because he sort of deserves and it this is a tribute to his great career, notwithstanding all the other stuff that has come out. and i'm proud of it. >> do you think -- when you think about your time with michael jackson, when you think about michael jackson the trajectory of his career, what happened? i mean, what happened to michael jackson? we hear that little boy singing at age 10, so full of hope and so alive onstage. what happened to michael jackson? >> simply, he couldn't overcome his demons. he couldn't overcome the

insecurities he had basically from childhood. he had a very difficult childhood. he had an abusive situation, and he was a very sensitive kid, so he internalized a lot of that. and you know as well as i, when you're a kid and you go through stuff, often it stays with you for the rest of your life and that's what was michael. he was never able to really, you know, get it out and he internalized it and i think, you know, that was the thing. >> as his spokesperson, were you -- was he intimately involved with strategizing, or was that something he was in his own sphere and that was sort of your job? did he care about his public perception of him to the point where he said, stuart, do this, and this is what i need and this is what i want and do it this way? >> yes, he was. >> he was involved? >> he was sly as a fox. there were times when he went out dressed up in a certain costume and people thought he was weird but the reality of the situation was he was creating attention and he wanted the press to see him just like a lot of other celebrities, so he knew he wanted to keep the image

alive in a sense even though it was a kind of a contradiction. on the other hand, he was a a very private person. he had anxieties about the press. it is was a yin and yang situation that was interesting to observe. >> how difficult was, at the time you were involved with him, the prescription drugs? i mean, how difficult -- or how big a role did that play in his life? >> it certainly started off a little more slowly from the pepsi commercial on. it wasn't an habitual situation. >> the pepsi commercial is where his hair went on fire and his scalp was burned. >> 1984. and his scalp was, you know, scalded badly. over the next couple of years it was to mitigate pain. it particularly became a problem after the martin bashir interview. he died that night, he really did. because he knew he shot himself in the foot. >> he knew he had made a mistake. >> was your job as the publicist to manage his perception? did you have an easy job? did you feel you had an incredibly challenging job? gli had an incredibly

challenging job. i happened to come on the scene, my luck, but i enjoyed it very much, during the baby-dangling incident. >> right. >> the martin bashir fiasco. >> exactly. >> the rebuttal film that we put out with maury povich. >> what did he say to you after the bashir interview? what did he tell? >> he didn't have much to say, to tell you the truth. >> was he in anguish? he was in deep anguish because he knew, as i said, to have shot himself in the foot. martin bashir had packed up his gear and leaving neverland. he brought over gavin avizo. he was a sweet man but he was naive in a certain level about the reaction to some of his stunts in a sense, so he realized, oh, my god, i shot myself in the foot and he never recovered. >> it mutt have been difficult for someone who worked him and to have cared about him to see him surrounded by other people

who did not perhaps have his best interests at heart. >> and there were a lot of those. let me tell you something, with a star of his celebrity, with a lot of money rolling around, a lot of people came on the scene that had their own personal agendas and didn't care for michael and really didn't look out for his interests. and that was difficult, because sometimes they were able to end run his management and kind of influence him in a sense. and that was very frustrating to tell you the truth. >> how do you explain those contradictions? you have a guy who is incredibly private and goes out to seek public attention. you have a guy who is incredibly sensitive but yet puts himself out there all the time. a guy who is incredibly smart and savvy about businesses and finances and drives himself into debt. it seems like there were these completely contradictory human beings in the shape of one person. >> it's true. he was a contradiction in terms, just as you say. and i think on the down side, let's say, it was basically the

demons from the time he was a little boy. like i said before, he really was never able to have the inner strength to overcome those demons. he tried, but it was difficult for him. and so that overshadowed some of the times, the real person that he was. which really was a very good person. he was very good to me. he was very good to the people around him. but unfortunately, he didn't have that inner strength to be able to overcome things that he had from when he was a little boy. >> so many people certainly felt even just watching him from a distance, and yet as we see today, so much love pouring out for michael jackson. it is -- it is a bittersweet day, no doubt about it. as we listen to some of the music of michael jackson, we are going to take another short break. we'll be back. stuart backerman will continue to be here. we'll check with tom foreman and see who else is buried at forest lawn cemetery, if, in fact, that turns out to be the final resting place of michael jackson. our coverage continues online at

cnn.com. there's the service. we're keeping tabs on everything. we'll bring you all the latest developments. we'll be back in a few seconds. ♪ my favorite winter coat the wind is blowing my mind ♪ ♪ i feel good in the street without enough to street who am i to be blind pretending not to see their need ♪ ♪ a silent disregard a broken bottle pop ♪ ( blower whirring )

( rake scratching ) why throw away your money? - ( piano music playing ) - switch to sprint. save $360 a year with the everything data family plan and get the blackberry curve 8330 smartphone for just $49.99. deaf, hard-of-hearing and people with speech disabilities access www.sprintrelay.com.

welcome back, everybody, to our special coverage. you're looking at the casket of

michael jackson coming out of the hall of liberty at forest lawn. a fairly short ceremony inside. a private ceremony, and now they are bringing the body out. we expect the hearse will be pulling around shortly. and then -- you can see it right this, actually. and then there are expectations that they will bring the body of michael jackson to the staples center. >> i got to say, it's stunning to suddenly see the casket. >> it is a little bit of a surprise. it is one of the senses that, wow, he's really dead. around us have been pictures all day of a young michael jackson and then through his career, but to see these pictures at forest lawn cemetery and the body of michael jackson being loaded into the back of the hearse really is a certain amount of finality to it. >> bryan monroe, former liof "ebony" magazine, your thoughts on seeing this? >> watching to see who the pallbearers are, several brothers are helping out. it is sad, but it's also the

tribute is going to be phenomenal today. i understand inside the staples center it's going to have a very solemn and serious tone and will be both memorial and funeral. there's not a lot of pomp and circumstance. but we will remember him in a very somber way. >> stuart backerman, worked with him as a publicist back in 2002. it's got to be surreal to see this. >> it is surreal, but to tell you the truth, i think he would have loved this. he was particularly distraught about the fact that he was beloved all around the world, but in the united states, particularly after the trial, he kind of sensed that he was a persona nongrat ta. to have u.s. fans paying this kind of tribute and attention to him would have made him proud. >> reverend sharpton said it is great to have this outpouring for him but where was it when he was alive? it's certainly something he felt with the allegations being made

against him, that were never proven in court. >> bryan monroe, a cnn contributor, welcome to the family. >> thank you. >> you have many friends, i know, who are inside. who are inside this service, which looks like it's about to wrap up. you see some people getting ready to get back into their cars. we saw the body being loaded back into the hearse. it's interesting there, the tone there clearly somber and even the tone here for the memorial service not as -- not as sad. i mean, there's a sense of joy about his life which is hard for me to explain. >> there is. you'll hear every once in a while the crowd erupting in laughter or joy. >> and not in a disrespectful way. >> not at all. fans are well mannered and controlled as they stream into the staples center. this afternoon or this morning will have the very serious tone. >> i also want to bring in as we continue to stay with the images, we will not be leaving the images as the family and the hearse make their way under

police escort to the staples center where we are, it should be about a 20- minute or 15-minute drive. it's going to start half an hour later. so, it's now supposed to start at 10:30 p.m. and we, of course, will continue to cover the thing all throughout the day. i want to bring in donna brazile, who is in new york, as we continue to look at the pictures. donna, you've been a lifelong fan of michael jackson. as you see the images, as you see the coffin being loaded into the hearse, what goes through your mind? >> well, michael jackson will be remembered for his music, his movements and i also think his humanitarian giving across the world. i met michael jackson when i was quite young. first for his music and later working with stevie wonder and many others. "hands across america" usa across africa, the efforts to make martin luther king birthday a national holiday in the 1980s. when he came to washington,

d.c., for the inaugural ceremony of clinton/gore. i met him backstage. he was shy. he was quite unassuming. but he was a very powerful figure, not just in the music world but for many people of my generation, we grew up loving his music. we loved the jackson 5. and my sisters and i, there were, of course, many girls in my family, there were nine of us, and nine of them, and we would often trade off which brother we would marry when we grew up. of course, we didn't marry any of them, but we fell in love with their music. it was a time when the country was changing and the jackson 5 came along and inspired us. they brought us hope. and i hope that today people remember his music and the magic that he brought to life by dancing and really celebrating life itself. >> also, donna, i think for many certainly african-americans, to see the jacksons on television at a time where you didn't see many people of color on a

television screen. that goes all the way through up the early days of mtv, which he really broke the color barrier on mtv. >> well, i'm about a year shy of michael's age. but i remember when the jackson 5 appeared on the "ed sullivan show" i turned 10. and my grandmother had baked us some cookies and my mother brought home ice cream and we watched the jackson 5 on the "ed sullivan show." back in the late '60s and '70s especially during the period when he didn't really know what music to play that would accommodate both the little black kids and the little white kids. but the jackson 5 seemed to have suited it all well. we loved michael jackson and all the music and we all learned to dance to it. so, he was the beginning of this transformation that we've now seen with oprah winfrey to tiger woods, the william sisters and the election of barack obama. michael jackson and many of his era helped usher in this moment. >> cnn contributor roland martin

is also standing by. roland, your thoughts upon -- he's not there yet. all right. we'll get to roland shortly. >> let's go to jeff toobin, who is standing by as well. i'm curious, jeff, we sort of talked about the life of michael jackson being a life of contradictions, one of those being, as many people are remembering him today, some have been lucky getting the tickets to the staples center to be part of the memorial service, others will be watching no doubt at their television screens. behind the scenes there is a major legal battle, and numerous ones, on many fronts, going over the estate, over the children. it is yet another contradiction. >> there's don king waving a flag. >> you know, that's potentially true. but yesterday, when it looked like there might be a major fight brewing, peace broke out. and i think cooler heads may prevail and the opportunities now, financially, are so great for the jackson estate that the jackson family, katherine

jackson, who had originally been given control of the finances, you had the will come out, and john branca being named the executor, obviously, a very savvy musical lawyer, executive. at the end of the day yesterday, both sides seemed to get together and said, look, we are going to try to exploit financially his name together. and i think there will not be -- at least initially -- a huge battle brewing, and they will have the opportunity to make enormous amounts of money. the best model they have is his would-be father-in-law, elvis presley, who, in fact, to put it simply, made more money dead than he did alive. his estate has been exploited so brilliantly by lisa marie presley and priscilla presley, the jackson comley to use it as a model, and i suspect they will. >> jeff, also in terms of custody, that is still very much, though, a question. there may be peace on the

financial end, there is potential problems ahead. i believe, bryan, is that katherine jackson? >> it's hard to tell. >> i believe that's katherine jackson towards the bottom of the screen. >> yes. being hugged. >> walking now. she's now blocked by the banner there now. but katherine jackson getting into a vehicle there. she was one of the first people we saw emerging from the vehicle. we were told she was with one of the jackson children. but at this point it's very hard to see. but, jeff toobin, in terms of the custody, that is still very much could be an issue depending on what debbie rowe decides to do. >> that's right. because there's a real paradox at play here. under california law, the mother of children, when the father had custody and the father dies, the mother almost invariably gets custody, and that would suggest that debbie rowe would get custody. but every other factor that a court looks at would point to katherine jackson getting

custody. debbie rowe has apparently had virtually no contact with these children. katherine jackson has been a very present grand mother in their lives. that is the real connection. and, of course, michael jackson's will said that he wanted his mother to get custody of the children. so, it seems very likely that katherine jackson will get custody, particularly because there's a third child, blanket, mother unknown, who will want to be kept together with -- with the two siblings. that all suggests that katherine jackson will get custody, even if debbie rowe challenges the custody arrangements, but that is as yet unresolved. >> debbie rowe not going to be present at the staples center or this private ceremony. >> she made it clear. she may not be invited to that. a.j. hammer is standing by with the entertainment show. this is, a.j., no exaggeration to say, michael jackson the

biggest entertainer on the planet. i think it is fair to say. >> it is fair to say. i think as jeffrey mentioned a moment ago, we're only going to see this legacy grow. there is so much still out there. so much that we have not yet seen or heard from michael jackson. there are so many songs that he recorded all throughout his history, that are locked up in a vault somewhere, including music that dates back to when he recorded the "thriller" album, of course, aeg live, the company that was supposed to put on the 50 shows in london that were just set to get started in a few weeks. they did a smart thing. they were documenting the process of rehearsal, shooting in high definition. certainly we'll see the legacy grow. but to call him the biggest entertainer on the planet is certainly an accurate statement. he's in a very small, a very exclusive club of artists who not only influenced the people that listened to their music, but literally generations now of artists, there's not a single artist that i can think of that

wouldn't say in some way their music or their style has been influenced by michael jackson. you'd be hard pressed to find one. >> i think that's very true. campbell brown is in new york as well. campbell, what are your thoughts, as you take a look, not only at these pictures here from forest lawn, but also the pictures behind us from staples center, where people have been slowly entering the arena and signing their names on their way in to be part of the remembrance of michael jackson? >> soledad, we've been looking into the vast numbers of people who are going to be watching this event. i mean, this is, you know, you recognize the crowds that -- that you're seeing out there in california. but think about it in terms of the worldwide interest in this. i mean, michael jackson was an international superstar, perhaps unrivaled in terms of the interest in his life. i mean, he's loved in europe. he was worshipped in asia. and there's no way to calculate, honestly, houm hundreds of millions of people have been watching today.

the organizers are feeding this memorial free to an array of satellites. so, people are going to be watching it on the internet, on their computers, on their handheld devices. i mean, hundreds of millions, probably the biggest media event, the biggest internet event, ever, frankly. because if you think about other similar occasions, where we have gathered around the tv, globally, the death of princess diana. the marriage of prince charles and princess diana, that were huge numbers. i think it was 750 million viewers watched charles marry prince says diana. live aid, another number we had, 400 million. this will be far greater because of the impact of the internet here. there are also tributes taking place around the world. watch parties taking place all over europe, all over asia, tok tokyo, deli, hong kong, london, berlin, a couple of places where we have cameras where people are

gathering to watch this. it is truly is -- compared -- there is nothing that has happened that we can compare it to. >> we're told even in the press room in moscow where reporters are covering the president's trip, they are right now watching cnn coverage of this event. it is truly a global broadcast. and i think the family is very aware of that. and very concerned about michael jackson's legacy. we have heard this repeatedly from the family, who have been kind of pushing back in the last week or so about media coverage, you know, on the personal life of michael jackson, the problems of michael jackson, anything that they feel might hurt that legacy. they are very protective of that. >> they are very concerned about that, and, in fact, they've been really pushing to remember him as an artist, as a father, as a son, as a brother, as well as the other controversies that have been out there. and you -- i think campbell's on to it. this could go down as one of the largest broadcasts in global history, if the numbers pan out. i remember when we did the interview with michael, the

number of letters and e-mails and calls that i got from tokyo and london and sidnydney, and moscow was staggering. the interest was huge in the united states, but it's massive, worldwide. >> stuart backerman, when you were publicist for michael jackson, it wasn't just a job of domestic publicity. it was truly global. had you dealt with anything like that previously? >> no. it is almost impossible to have dealt with anything like that before, because he's loved in china. he's loved in israel. he's loved in australia. particularly loved in japan. i mean, in japan, they're wild over him. he could do no wrong, no matter what he did. anything, they would go crazy for him in japan. >> and in today's world, michael jackson is not just a person, he is a brand, a global brand, and that brand continues. >> no question. i think given this tribute and what you've said, i think that brand really lives on. >> and when you think about other stars, other entertainers

who could reach those same heights, i don't think anyone comes to mind. i don't think that the -- >> the business -- the music business has changed. >> completely. and even outside of that, i'm not sure that there's someone who you can say would rise to the level where people feel that they are so connected and so -- that someone in japan, who's 40 years old, feels as connected to a black kid from gary, indiana, as someone who grew up in gary, indiana, can love him just as much. >> want to take a break so we can bring it to you live when it happens at forest lawn. you can watch us on cnn.com. where others are expressing their feelings about michael jackson. we'll be right back. ♪ gonna feel real good gonna make a difference gonna make it right ♪ ♪ as i turn up the collar on my

favorite winter coat ♪ ♪ this wind is blowing my mind ♪ i see the kids in the street with not enough to eat ♪ ♪ who am i to be lined pretending not to see their needs ♪ ♪ a silent disregard a broken bottle top ♪ ♪ and a one man's soul sote sote

soon there will be 1 trillion ♪ sote sote nnected devices... in the world. can you hear them? food is talking to store shelves. cargo containers are talking to supply chains. power lines are talking to the grid. now that's smart. systems that allow carrots to tell truck drivers how fresh they are. roads alert cars about traffic patterns. cars alert mechanics before they break down. when things communicate... systems connect. when systems connect... the world gets smarter. that's what i'm working on. i'm an ibmer. let's build a smarter planet.

♪ the many images we are tracking today. forest lawn cemetery there on the top. staples center on the bottom of the screen. people still milling in, we're told from someone inside it's only about halfful at this point. people still streaming in. the ceremony was supposed to start at 10:00 a.m., it's

starting a half an hour late, at 10:30. there's motorcade. michael jackson's body placed into a hearse a short time ago. and they are about to proceed, begin the escort, police escort, to the staples center. >> gail mitchell is a senior editor for r. & n. for "bill board" magazine. your most recent article was about michael jackson's "thriller" and how it really changed the business. how did it change the business? >> in a lot of ways. first off, it was one of the first albums released simultaneously worldwide which hadn't been done up to that point. videowise with "thriller," and some of the other songs, that's when michael took it to the next peak. it was the dawn of mtv. he broke the color barrier there at mtv in terms of being the first black artist on there with "billie jean." and then "thriller" came, he took the whole standards of video up to a new level. >> he always seemed to be pushing the envelope. >> right. >> kind of topping himself every step of the way, and clearly

"thriller" is going to remain in the history books forever. it holds this incredible place. but i'm curios if some of that contributes to the pressure of always having to top yourself, as he prepared for the recent tour to come as a comeback -- and before you answer, gail. the motorcade is just starting to get under way. the family and friends that have been at the private memorial service are making their way to the public memorial service where we are at the staples center. >> there's the hearse, it looks like it will be the fourth car in the motorcade. but the camera zooming in on it right now. the hearse carrying the body of michael jackson. >> covered with flowers. >> to what will be a celebration of his life. a number of stars, ready to perform. bryan, what have we already heard? bryan monroe joining us, formerly of "ebony" magazine. a number of performers.

john mayer, "performing "smile"? >> lionel richie, a star-studded gathering forpg "we are the world." it will have a very musical tone but a serious tone. >> ted rowlands at the location with all the vehicles and, of course, the hearse which we believe is the fourth car in this motorcade will be rolling right by him as they make their way to staples center. ted, let's check in with you one more time. give me a sense of is there a massive crowd where you are? i have to imagine both the security and the crowd have to be huge. >> reporter: yeah, well, the crowd has been building since news came out that michael jackson's body would be moving in a motorcade. you can imagine that people are coming out of their homes now. what the most likely route is going to be here is that this hearse and the motorcade will take a right-hand turn out of forest lawn, and they will go through the griffith park area, and a number of people have gathered at the griffith park and then they'll pick up the 5

freeway and the 110 which will take you directly into downtown. but already within the last 10 to 15 minutes we've seen a lot more people coming out of their homes, hoping obviously, to get a glimpse of this procession as it goes by and makes its way into downtown los angeles. >> hilary rosen is also joining us, former president of the recording industry of america. you're also hearing about a number of songs that will be performed at the celebration. >> anderson, mariah carey will sing "i'll be there." stevie wonder's going to sing, "i never dreamed i'd leave you in summer." a beautiful song. jennifer hudson will sing, chris brown is there and akon will b there. and michael jackson's last charting single is with him. i think we can expect to see that. and then lionel richie, all of

the artists have been asked to stay and perform with lionel richie at the end to do a star-studded "we are the world." >> gail mitchell, senior editor for r&b at "billboard" magazine. when you seat hearse as it leaves forest lawn and heads to the staples center, as someone who spent her career covering michael jackson, we just lost the shot, we're back again, does it feel to you as the end of an era? >> i don't think there will be another michael jackson. it's still very surreal to me. i got a chance to meet him back during the "bad" era. and it still is a -- is a meeting that resonates with me still after all this time. >> why is that? tell me about it. >> he was taller than i thought. i've been telling everybody. taller than i thought. the black pants on, the red shirt, blackja jacket, black ha. but very nice. very quiet, but very nice. and was very interested. i was working on another publication at the time and he came through the print room. we were there putting the paper to bed. so, he was very interest ined i

lot of what we were doing. so, just a moment that stands with me. and he's just unequalled. i just think there's icons that come and leave an indelible mark, frank sithattry and elvis presley and now michael jackson. >> is it fair to say that 99% of the performers who follow that they can look back to having been influenced in some way by michael jackson? >> oh, certainly. you see it with ruusual rer and chris brown and justin timberlake and it's coming out with the newer, emerging artists coming out. >> roland martin is in new york. i'm curious what you think as you see these pictures. anytime you see a funeral procession it does make you stop and catch your breath, just how somber the moment is. the hearse which has the casket, the body of michael jackson, covered in really beautiful flowers is making its way to the staples center. >> it is a somber, but i also think back to the tradition in

the black church where funerals is also called home-going services. where they're seen more as celebrations. donna brazile knows about this coming from new orleans. in terms of how people think about it. but you'll see it. when you think back to james brown's funeral, people performing and laughing and singing and the thinking is that michael jackson is in a better place. he's in a place where there's no more pain, there's no more sorrow, there's no more heartache. that's sort of the thinking there. i think you will see people stalking more about it being a celebration. that was the sense in the "essence" music festival, lionel richie and others paying tribute, they focused on the celebratory moment as opposed to it being a somber moment. >> absolutely. and in addition to that, john legend, it was interesting to see at one point they also did a new orleans funeral. >> for the first line. >> for the first line.

and they, of course, the funeral starts very slowly and somberly and then at the moment when the body is put into the ground, the musicians then symbolically began a celebration. and i think that actually matches the tone that we see behind us at the staples center. i guess i had expected to it be incredibly sad with people weeping and it's not that way at all. you hear a shout and people are talking and sometimes laughing. i think it sets the tone of a real celebration of his life and his impact as a performer and entertainer. and also with the conversations that have to be had as a person who was tortured and had challenges, legal challenges and emotional challenges and celebrations his life. >> you saw this weekend with the "essence" festival, madonna did a great tribute in london, jodie london did a remembrance with shalimar. >> it's shocking when you

juxtapose the images that we're looking at to the images we had anticipated seeing a few days from now. michael jackson's first concert at the o2, a concert series that was to be a comeback for michael jackson, 50 concerts, originally just ten were announced. ultimately it became 50. it was supposed to be a complete new chanter in michael jackson's life. >> he was very excited about it. everyone i talked to who was working with him, told me he was preparing for it. he had a trainer. he was there at rehearsals. he worked long days and last night he was there until 12:30. >> at the same time you have to wonder about a person about toch has been written, his inability at times to deal with the pressure. very private. the anxiety of living on the stage and yet also being incredibly anxious in front of it, you know, human beings when he's not onstage, you have to wonder about the role of that series of performances. and also a comeback, frankly, a comeback tour, a way to put

yourself out there and say, am i up to what everybody expects, that pressure must have played a role in how he was feeling and doing. >> in fact, when i interviewed him, i asked him about did he want to tour, and at the time it was before the london deal. he told me he didn't want to tour again, he loved to perform but he couldn't take the grueling effort of a multicity, big-arena tour. he didn't want to go out like james brown went out. he thought james brown worked too hard and killed himself that way, doing city by city, every night. >> the name of the concerts "this is it" he certainly had hoped that that would be it that he wouldn't need to do it anymore. but certainly, gail, in terms of, i mean, we are told that there are many songs recorded by michael jackson that have not been released that are basically kind of in his vault. so, we don't know, i mean, there could be michael jackson albums coming out for years to come. >> yes, tupac, elvis presley, so i think there's a lot of things. he was working with the producer behind lady gaga, and so between

that and the rehearsals that aeg said they filmed, i think we'll see a lot of new michael material come out, and the fans will be happy. >> we're going to take a short break, as we continue to watch this, what is approximately a ten-minute drive as the vehicles make their way to the staples center and the hearse carrying the body of michael jackson makes its way here. the ceremony and the memorial to get under way at approximately 10:30 a.m. west coast time. going to take a short break. we're back in a minute. ♪ i'm asking him to change his ways and no message could have been any clearer ♪ ♪ if you want to make the world a better place take a look at yourself and make a change ♪ ♪ is there anything that the bank can do for you? customers are stressed. so that's why, you know we've adjusted a lot of the different processes we have in place such as rolling out more innovative products

to really meet the needs of the customers. we actually move with the economic times. customers who maybe have lost their jobs, we're looking at waiving fees for them. we've introduced add it up. our risk free cd. it's one stop shopping for all the answers they're looking for. you just kind of have to learn to, just you know, just be there. that's how we keep moving. how are we going to make this business work

and keep the economy going? it's the local pizza guy that needs to pay his supplier for the dough. during these times when you think most people would roll over, small business owners figure out a way to fight, and i just love being part of that kind of a team. we are able to provide customers with ways that they can keep their business running and profitable. and to really help them... help them get through this tough time. committing small business specialists like myself to the community, i think that speaks loudly to what bank of america thinks the heart of the community is - the small business.

♪ i'm starting with the man in the mirror i'm asking him to change his ways ♪ ♪ and no message could be any clearer ♪ the view from the staples center where people are continuing to come in. previously we said the ceremony would begin a half an hour late. now we're told it's not that late. so, again, very much in flux. there you see the hearse carrying the body of michael jackson from our affiliate ktla. probably about five or seven minutes away from our location right now. and we're going to continue to follow this for many hours, as it all comes to pass today. we're joined by gail mitchell from "billboard" magazine, bryan monroe from former editorial

director and vice president of e "ebony" and "jet" magazine. it's unusual to see a hearse carrying michael jackson. we've been covering it since it happened. >> right. >> we know it is real, but it is sort of shocking the first time you see it. >> it certainly is. as i said earlier, it's just very surreal and you just can't believe that this is happening, but at the same time what a great celebration of his music and legacy. >> we just saw larry king enter. he's going to be sitting with the family we're told during the service. we saw barbara walters entering a short time ago. this is larry and his wife, one of his producers as well. a lot of celebrities in attendance entering with everybody else. again, getting through this cordon of security. >> and we'll have an opportunity to hear from larry king after the service, after the ceremony, after the memorial inside, to really tell us about some of the remarkable moments as we gets an opportunity to sit with the family. you're looking at the hearse, though, right now. the freeway obviously cleared by the chp, or that is the best

traffic day ever in the history of los angeles. making their way. and i think partly because of no traffic and a clear path, and what has appeared, at least from here to be, tremendous organization. they may be back on time. they had pushed the ceremony back a little bit to 10:30, west coast time, but it looks as though, in fact, they might be back on time. let's check in with kara finnstrom, because she is actually outside of where the public is stopped. to get in, you know, you need certain wristbands and certain colors, but kara is where the public has stopped. and they've made it very clear, they did not want the public to come down to this area. they thought it would just create incredible gridlock, and so, kara, i'm curious to know, how did it turn out? >> reporter: you know, actually, the crowds have been growing here throughout the day. if we pan off to the side here, you can see, you know, quite a bit of fans out here at this hour. what we did just learn, soledad, though, from the officer in charge here is that the motorcade is expected to make its way straight down this street in just a few moments from now. and as we pan around, we can

show you officers, just about 15 minutes ago, pushed the crowd back. put up this yellow tape and are now lining the street in preparation for this motorcade to head straight down this street. and right into the staples center. you can see the barricades that have been put up. we understand they're going to remove those and that they will take the motorcade straight through there. but one of the fans that came out here today that has been waiting right alongside the other side of this yellow tape, they came all the way from north carolina from greensboro, north carolina. they took three days on buses to get here. tell us why you wanted to be here. you don't -- by the way, you don't have tickets. you just wanted to be here. >> michael, he's a true inspiration to me. and i say, i want to see him one last time, and when i found out he was going to be here, it really broke my heart. and we made so many sacrifices. we sold everything we had in our house, and we just wanted to come here. to be here. >> reporter: all right, one of the many fans waiting alongside,

and they've all gotten word now that the motorcade will be headed down here shortly. we're told just a few minutes from now, anderson. >> kara, about how many people are -- are kind of gathered there? can you tell? >> reporter: you know, it's so difficult to tell, because it winds around the street. and it heads down that way. but i can tell you, and we'll just let the camera pan the crowds and give you a feel. officers tell me it's like this around the perimeter, that completely encircles, you know, the staples center. that security zone. so, what you're seeing here is just a small sample of what now surrounds the staples center. >> all right, kara finnstrom. again, as we go back to the funeral procession, the hearse carrying the body of michael jackson on the freeway, accompanied by his friends and n family for the journey. dionne warwick entering the staples center there on the right-hand side of your screen. we still don't know, bryan, where michael jackson will be laid to rest. >> well, there's -- it appears

that at least will start off at forest lawn and whether he will be there for a short period of time or indefinitely, jermaine, of course, wanted to make sure he was buried at neverland. the issues with the local ordinances and trying to get permission. they will try to work it out. whether he will be temporarily at forest lawn or permanently is unclear. >> i'm curious about the neverland location, because in some ways when michael jackson decided to leave neverland, you got the sense that he wanted to distance himself from it in some ways. it was the source of such bad memories and nightmarish pr. earlier we spoke to stuart backerman, ground zero for accusations, et cetera? >> he was in a lot of pain coming out of the trial. in fact, the shots we saw this week, they pulled a lot of the ferris wheel and a lot of the facilities out of there to make it simpler. but neverland is a good 100 or so miles from here. and unlike people make the comparison to graceland in memphis, graceland is actually in downtown memphis. you get off the plane, you can have some barbecue and be in

graceland and be out. neverland is a good two, three hours from here, in a very secluded part of the state. >> we're watching the hearse carrying the body of michael jackson as it makes its way down the freeway coming here to the staples center, where there are, you know, the crowd is now thinning out. people beginning to really go inside and take their seats. they opened the doors probably an hour ago for what you saw were crowds of people milling around really waiting for this moment to see if they can catch -- those that stayed outside, catch a glimpse of the hearse that's now probably just a few minutes away. that casket will be front and center as performers pay their tributes to michael jackson here this morning on the west coast. >> we're going to get in one more quick break, because we want to be live, of course, as michael jackson arrives at the staples center. our coverage continues and continues onlibe ne, stay tuned. ♪ thriller nights fighting for your life and try to get up get up get down ♪

mr. evans? this is janice from onstar. i have received an automatic signal you've been in a front-end crash. do you need help? yeah. i'll contact emergency services and stay with you. you okay? yeah. onstar. standard for one year on 14 chevy models.

you have questions. who can give you the financial advice you need? where will you find the stability and resources to keep you ahead of this rapidly evolving world? these are tough questions. that's why we brought together two of the most powerful names in the industry. introducing morgan stanley smith barney. here to rethink wealth management. here to answer... your questions. morgan stanley smith barney. a new wealth management firm with over 130 years of experience.

♪ i want to rock with you all night ♪ some of the arrivals, reverend jesse jackson arriving. >> his daughter and his son. >> we saw larry king arrive with his wife and along with barbara walters and others as the hearse continues to make its way to the staples center in downtown los angeles. just a few minutes away, we believe, there's the scene, the jackson family accompanying the hearse, which is about a 15-minute drive in total to downtown under police escorts. you see the roads have been cleared. i'm anderson cooper along with soledad o'brien with our continuing coverage, and along with bryan monroe, former editorial director for "ebony" magazine. >> those who have gone inside really an opportunity to get their seats, because an

indication we're just a few minutes away from this memorial service starting. we should check in with inside, there we go. right there. you can see the center beginning to fill up. >> also we're joined by gail mitchell from "billboard," magazine. gail, we're told that the end of this ceremony is going to be all the performers singing "we are the world." that's certainly going to be an emotional high point for a lot of viewers. >> yes, it is. especially those who remember the original recording after the grammy ceremony and quincy jones' famous entreaty to check the egos at the door and do the recording. so, it's a very fitting tribute. >> it was really something that had not been done before. >> right. >> that many artists getting together at one time. >> exactly. again, it shows michael's legacy beyond music, that he was such a humanitarian. >> he co-wrote the song with lionel richie? >> exactly. >> the sheer scope of his

humanitarian efforts were not well understood that he did publicly, but he put the united negro college fund at the top of his list of giving, is that right? >> yeah, most people don't realize that he contributed $300 million, $500 million privately to a lot of charities, including the uncf because he cared about african-american issues and global issues and i asked him about poverty worldwide and he got serious with me talking and that's why you hear it in the lyrics of his music. >> roland martin watching this as the procession starts to get close to the staples center. roland, you can hear the helicopters over us where we are just outside the staples center. usual thoughts? >> you were just talking about "we are the world," and when you really think about michael jackson in terms of his music and the reality is music crosses boundaries, they cross

geographical lines. this is not a los angeles production or a u.s. producti this is being viewed across the world. when he died, you get radio stations across the world going wall to wall. when you think about his legacy, this is a guy frankly who was bigger than elvis and frank sinatra and some would argue bigger than the beatles, so to close with "we are the world" with such a world entertainer makes a heck of a lot of sense. you also talked about this being "this is it." this really is the final performance. and the reality is that michael jackson has indeed gone on top. you look at the record sales. you talk about dominating coverage for two weeks. what he wanted to do in life, to be honest, he has achieved now in death. the question now is how soon can they build a lasting legacy to him? and think about a frank sinatra, we revere frank sinatra, but there's nothing there for people to continue to show their appreciation to frank sinatra like there is elvis, so having that kind of memorial will be important.

and in gary, indiana, they really want to build it there. the mayor rudy folk has been talking to the family. centrally located, next to chicago, folks can access it a lot better than they could at neverland. it makes a lot more sense. >> everyone wants to build it wherever they are. >> of course. >> because that will bring people in from a long, long distance. you think about the lasting legacy, roland, you certainly think about his children. because he had said that one of the reasons that he wanted to take on this tour, 50 shows, was in part because he wanted his children to see him perform. and realist, also tell you, because he has massive debt and that was part of the reason also. but there is something about his children being sort of in the right age range, our children, bryan, and, you know, and i both have kids that age, that you want them to understand what it is you're fam muss for, what it is you do, certainly. >> and he said how much the kids were important. when we did the interview, his son blanket, greeted us at the door -- >> why was that his nickname? >> i don't know.

i'm sure there was a story behind there. but he was well behaved. offered some candy, shook our hands. but could you tell the relationship between father and son was genuine. and i believe both blanket, paris and prince michael really gave his life new meaning. and -- and especially in the later years. it really gave him focus. >> you can see outside the staples center now, those vehicles that were rolling through the highway have come to a stop, because they are slowing down, getting ready to turn in, make their way right here where we are to the staples center. and, again, the streets are clear. really a testament to the job the security, the police, have done here. not at an insignificant cost to a state that is having huge financial difficulties, but there have been in every single shot we've seen, numerous police officers, mounted police, this, of course, to make sure that there's no mayhem at this scene, which is the family and very close friends who have been attending that private memorial service really having a clear way into the staples center and the hearse, too, of course most importantly, coming in and being

able to place them below the stage where the memorial's going to take place. >> and let's take you inside to the staples center. don lemon is inside there. he has been watching the preparations under way. don, we have seen a space at the bottom of the stage that we believe is where the casket of michael jackson will be placed. >> reporter: yeah. that's what we believe. and you guys saw it on the way here. and just so -- to tell you about the folks who are arriving. you talked about the reverend jesse jackson and his family arriving. they are inside now. reverend jesse jackson, jackie jr., yousef, sentita jackson and all of the jacksons here. chicago, gary, indiana, very close, within 45 minutes of each other. and there are pictures of the jackson family with the other jackson family. i'm looking at just this center here, starting to fill up, guys, and people are -- i heard you guys talking about a solemn mood. it is not solemn here. it's celebratory. people aren't being outrageous. they aren't dancing in the streets -- or in the aisles, i

should say, but they're being very cordial and they're just happy to be here. you can hear the announcement, i'm not sure if you can, it says, the memorial service will start very soon. you can take your seats here. so, just everyday folk who really loved michael jackson from all over the world, and really, you know, we talk about the dignitaries and whatever, it's not really about them, you know, those are the people that get on television. those are the names that, you know, people may perk up when they hear. but this is really about michael jackson, his family, and these people who supported him for years and years and years and who came from all over the world just to pay tribute to him. there's a guy right -- i'm looking at now, in the red michael jackson jacket, from -- from "thriller" and the hat and i've seen people with the gloves on. and everyone, ever since i put that program on television, my e-mail box is clogged. i can't even send e-mails out, everyone asking for this program. so, certainly, it is a collector's item, and if you can get your hands on one, it would be amazing to get one.

i'm sure they will be in short supply very soon. and i wouldn't be surprised if they end up on ebay shortly as well, soledad and anderson. >> yeah, don, we want to take a very short break, our last one before the ceremony begins. let's take that break now. and, again, our coverage continues on cnn.com where you can join others talking about their remembrances for michael jackson, the community online. we'll be right back. ♪ i want to rock with you all night ♪ ♪ gonna rock the night away ♪ (woman) the dust might be settling... that's great, but i'm not. ♪ (second man) i guess i'm just done with doing nothing, you know? ♪ (third man) oh, i'm not thinking about moving my money. i am moving it. tdd# 1-800-345-2550

car insurance company in the nation. but, it's not like we're kicking back, now, havin' a cuppa tea. gecko vo: takes lots of sweat to become that big. gecko vo: 'course, geckos don't literally sweat... it's just not our thing... gecko vo: ...but i do work hard, mind you. gecko vo: first rule of "hard work equals success." gecko vo: that's why geico is consistently rated excellent or better in terms of financial strength. gecko vo: second rule: "don't steal a coworker's egg salad, 'specially if it's marked "the gecko." come on people. imagination and reality have merged.

because of one word, a new generation-- a fifth generation-- of fighter aircraft has been born. because of one word, america's air dominance for the next forty years is assured. that one word... is how.

♪ thriller thriller nights and no one's going to save you from the beast about to strike ♪

welcome back, everybody. we're coming to you live from the staples center in los angeles, california, which is, of course, the site of the memorial for michael jackson. i'm soledad o'brien. >> and i'm anderson cooper. thanks very much for joining us and our continuing coverage, really, a celebration of the life of michael jackson. he's arrived at the staples center. hills body arriving in the hearse a few moments ago, as you saw. and now, i think the mood inside is probably going to shift. we're going to see more and more as the performers begin really that sense of celebration. >> absolutely. it actually seemed very somber to me as we saw the hearse go. it was the first time i sort of caught my breath and thought, wow, because the tone has been very celebratory. not disrespectful, but light and celebratory. and you see the casket being pulled into the hearsu and realize the, the finality and the sadness of the moment. they are going to off-load the hearse and put the casket in front of the stage where we'll see a pretty incredible rundown

frankly of performers. bryan monroe is a new edition and cnn analyst and also, of course, the long history of working with "jet" and "ebony." >> yes, we understand we have performances from jennifer hudson and john mayer. >> and mariah carey. >> and mariah carey and should end up with the big celebration of "we are the world" that lionel richie will be leading. >> hilary rosen is standing by. in terms of the legacy of michael jackson which his family is very concerned about, in terms of, you know,n albums that will be coming out, the brand of michael jackson will continue on for many years, and to potentially enormous profit. >> enormous profit. in fact, i've talked to a couple of the estate lawyers over the last couple of days, anderson. they believe that given the sales of his catalog over the last week, that this is likely

to be out of debt within the next few months. i mean, when we talk about, you know, it originally having a, you know, few hundred million dollar debt. there's also talk that maybe there will be a transaction with sony music with the publishing, so there's a huge amount of money here going forward for katherine jackson and michael jackson's children. >> and at this point as we know from the will, 40% -- most -- the money goes to the jackson estate, which we believe 40% goes to katherine jackson, 40% to the children and 20% to various charities. >> to charities. and was said before, the charities that michael jackson has supported have been strong in the african-american community and strong with children. although we also know that the trust does not specify which charities will get the money going forward. that is to be a decision of the executors, john branca and john mcclain. so, that's an enormously powerful position for those executers to be in. >> you saw a moment ago some of

the pictures of the perimeter and police making that kind of "v" shape in order to best protect the perimeter, certainly now that the casket, the body of michael jackson, is inside staples center. we're getting word the city of l.a. has actually a website that allows the public to donate money to help pay for this memorial service. it's estimated that all the security and logistical costs run $4 million, is one of the numbers i heard. it definitely is expensive. it's been running so far, from what i've seen, without a hitch. there is the website now set up from the city that if people want to underwrite it, they can. >> bryan, the jackson family themselves, they have serious financial trouble. there are many members of the jackson family have had real financial trouble over the last year, many years. >> they have. they've tried to generate revenue separate from michael or straight from the jackson 5, the individual recording artists, jermaine was his own single recording artist. janet, of course, has been very successful. but they've also had