Some media have suggested that Michael Jackson was buried last weekend. Others suggest he was buried on Monday. The Jackson family on the other hand prefers to remain discrete on the issue. Meanwhile, sales have skyrocketed for the late singer’s old albums on the record market.
Has Michael Jackson been buried or not? The controversy over the burial of the king of pop continues over a month and a half after his death. Tuesday morning on the English network ITV, Brian Oxman, a lawyer and spokesman for the Jackson family, suggested that the family had held a secret burial Monday morning at the Forest Lawn Cemetery, located in the hills of Hollywood, Los Angeles.
Le Parisien, a French daily agrees with a report published by an English tabloid, Daily Mirror, which indicated that the singer had been buried a week earlier in the same cemetery. “Michael has already been buried, but with the exception of his family and the cemetery management, nobody knows where”. The Jackson family has not confirmed the information.
For now though, only one thing remains certain: After the July 7 memorial service at the Staples Centre, the remains of Michael Jackson were transferred to the Forest Lawn Cemetery. No date was, however, given for his burial ceremony. His family has embarked on a media blackout, possibly to avoid the desecration of Michael Jackson’s final resting place by over enthusiastic fans. Twelve people have committed suicide whilst hundreds have tried to put an end their days since the death of the star.
post-mortem business
While the debate on the burial of Michael Jackson (MJ) continues, the singer continues to live through his works; on the shelves and soon in theatres. Since the announcement of his death, MJ’s old records have jumped into the number one spot in record sales. A record number of 16 million albums have so far been sold, with a million and a half in France alone, where the albums History I and II and King of Pop are selling like hot cakes.
The late singer’s portrait painted by Andy Warhol in 1984 will be auctioned on 18 August with a 560 000 euro starting price. The label, Sony ATV may also put a new discography on the market in memory of Michael Jackson, who sometimes wrote up to 100 songs for only one album only to select a handful of them for release.
Monday, a U.S. court authorized the sale of scenes filmed in June during his last rehearsal. The rights were acquired by AEG live at around $ 60 million. AEG live plans to produce a two-hour long film to be released in theatres on October 30, Halloween day.
Finally, the City of Vienna, a place that Michael Jackson particularly appreciated for its castles, will be hosting a giant concert in MJ’s memory in the first half of September. Many celebrities including U2, Madonna, Lionnel Richie and Whitney Houston are expected to attend the event. An estimated 85 000 people are expected. Tickets will go on sale from 20 August.
According to the organizers of the show, a significant portion of the concert’s revenue will go to the Larry King Foundation to help fund heart operations for the poor.
