Michael Jackson Public Memorial Service was held Tuesday, July 7, 2009, 1:00 PM EST/10:00 AM PST at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Tickets were distributed via a lottery system organized by AEG. “It was our wish to allow as many of Michael’s fans to be a part of the memorial, and we wish to thank everyone for their support and understanding at this difficult time,” the Jackson family said in a statement. Live coverage of the Michael Jackson public memorial service was broadcast online and via many major media outlets.
Participants for the Michael Jackson memorial included: Ron Boyd (family friend); Kobe Bryant; Mariah Carey; Andrae Crouch Choir; Berry Gordy; Jennifer Hudson; Shaheen Jafargholi (finalist on Britain’s Got Talent); Magic Johnson; Martin Luther King III; Bernice A. King; John Mayer; Lionel Richie; Smokey Robinson; Rev. Al Sharpton; Brooke Shields; Pastor Lucious Smith (family friend); Usher; and Stevie Wonder.