I watched, morbidly fascinated, as much of the TV coverage as I could stand without gagging. South American and Middle Eastern dictators no doubt will style their own future funerals after this repulsive display of excess and bathos.

Joan, though you temper your effusive and undeserved praise for the world's most celebrated pedophile with some lukewarm criticism, many of us see in Michael Jackson -- without even considering his monstrous behavior with children -- a man who pushed the boundaries of kitsch to a point no sane person could even imagine. I remember sitting slack-jawed watching one of his TV performances that ended -- for what reason God only knows -- with an angel on cables descending from the rafters of the theater and enfolding Jackson in her enormous wings as the camera zoomed in for a close-up of his tear-streamed face. And I remember the video for some insipid song of his that showed mobs of children cheering the erection of a huge golden statue of Jackson. Please: That's not art, and he wasn't an artist.

The most tragic outcome of all of this mindless hype is that victims of pedophiles now know, more than ever, that if their molester is a popular person, their story will not be believed. It's worked for priests and scoutmasters for years, and now Michael Jackson's worshippers have brought it to a new level. I rarely, rarely agree with Republicans, but Peter King is 100 percent right.

Michael Jackson did more for the world than any head of state since FDR.

It is a shame that Jackson's troubles later in life cast so much of a shadow over his glory days of Thriller-Billie Jean, but all that he has done for the world (which ultimately fused black and white society) will not be diminished.

Huh?

I had both Thriller and Off the Wall in high school. What exactly did that do for mankind except give us all some great music to groove to?

I can't tell you how sick I ma of the media being consumed by Jackson's death. Put it to rest!

One's level of interest and grief is directly related to how much appreciation he has for Jackson as an entertainer.

If you came of age with the Jackson Five or Thriller you'll probably be sad and think Jackson got a bad rap. If you aren't a pop music fan or his music had no relevance in your life, you'll be turned off by the coverage and more likely to believe Jackson was a pedophile (doubtful from the evidence which consists of a couple of hangers on accusing a rich guy who never evidenced any sexual tendencies of any kind whatsoever).

In general. Why argue the point?

Whatever his tremendous talents were, we should not be praising and idolizing a pedophile. There's something quite repulsive about all the crying and all the adulation from these fans. A great musician, a great singer, a great dancer, yes. But that is all drowned out by his sickening and disgusting behavior with young boys. Inexcusable and worthy of a jail sentence (which he should have received years ago), and most definitely not of praise.

Every day there are people working on cures for diabetes, cancer, aids, muscular dystrophy and heart disease. When they die, the only people attending their funeral or who will know about them are their family and friends. There are people mentoring to youths in the ghetto, volunteering to help the elderly, the infirmed, the poor, the diseased and those with drug addictions. No one will know when their time comes except their family and friends. It's long past the time when we should realize that our heroes are not the singers, dancers, rappers, actresses and actors or politicians, or people who can shoot a ball through a basketball hoop but they are and should be the unsung heroes who are working every day to make our communities, our lives and our country better.

From Wikipedia

"To this day, "Billie Jean" is still in heavy rotation; it is played on over 90% of the world's radios and receives more than 250,000 spins per week in clubs around the world."

Other than Obama, what head of state has given billions of people reason to dance and be happy?

What head of state has raised as much money for charity as MJ did?

What head of state has brought more harmony between blacks and whites than MJ did?

To all those who chose to come in here and bitch about this article, or the memorial, give it a rest. Who are you to decide what is worthy of public consumption? So whenever you feel something doesn't live up to your oh so high standards of life, do you always feel the need to cry about it and belittle those who do not feel the way you do? Get over yourselves.

This will pass just like everything else in the Universe does. If you don't like it, ignore it. Its very simple really. And don't say that you couldn't just ignore it. Go outside, take a walk, have a meal with friends, have sex, whatever. Peel your faces away from the TV or computer screen for once. And the goings on in the political world will still be there when this is over. And guess what, shit will still be fucked up like it is now.

And to those who still feel the need to pass judgment on Michael Jackson, get a life. Can't you shut your hateful mouths for one day?

Couldn't have said it better myself. Some likened our fascination to watching a car wreck as one drives by. Couldn't help ourselves. And while we were watching that dog and poney show, hundreds died in China, Palin had a meltdown, Iran was eclipsed and forgotten for a few weeks only we hope, the internet got tied up so badly everything's down to a crawl. Can we turn this ship around? I don't have faith in us suddenly growing a collective brain, especially since I'm an atheist and have no delusions about divine intervention. Happy days ahead, sure can't get any worse.