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Campbell Brown

Michael Jackson Memorial

Aired July 07, 2009 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: As Wolf said a remarkable day, Michael Jackson's memorial equal part showbiz and sadness with tributes -- so many tributes from family, friends and celebrities.

Tonight we're going to show you everything you missed from those musical highlights Wolf mentioned to his 11-year-old daughter's touching farewell to her father. And we begin with something very fitting for the "King of Pop", a sort of greatest hits collection. Here are the most powerful moments from today's farewell. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC & SINGING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Jackson was an idol, a hero, even a king.

(MUSIC & SINGING)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For Michael. "We Had Him" by Dr. Maya Angelou (ph) -- "Beloved, now we know that we know nothing, now that our bright and shining star can slip away from our fingertips like a puff of summer wind."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived.

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do know that as much as we may feel and we do that we need Michael here with us, God must have needed him far more.

(MUSIC & SINGING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So I went over to his house to have dinner. The chef came out and said what would you like -- I said some grilled chicken. The chef brought me out the grilled chicken but he brought Michael out a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken. And I went crazy, like, wait a minute. Michael, you eat Kentucky Fried Chicken. That made my day. That was the greatest moment of my life.

REV. AL SHARPTON, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK: He put on one glove, pulled his pants up and broke down the color curtain.

(MUSIC) BROOKE SHIELDS, ACTRESS: We need to look up where he is undoubtedly perched in a crescent moon and we need to smile.

(MUSIC & SINGING)

JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I'm lost for words. I was his voice and his backbone. I had his back. So did the family.

MARLON JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I hurt. Michael, when you left us a part of me went with you.

PARIS JACKSON, DAUGHTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just want to say I love him so much.

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: And here right now to talk about what it was like inside the Staples Center today we've got Stuart Backerman from Los Angeles, former publicist for Michael Jackson. David Wild from "Rolling Stone" is with us always -- also rather -- and he contributed to the magazine special Jackson tribute issue coming out on Friday and was part of the production team for today's memorial.

Here with me in New York entertainment attorney James Walker, who has worked with Michael Jackson's brothers, and CNN senior analyst Jeffrey Toobin who has been watching it all for us for many years frankly. Let me start with Stuart. Stuart you were there. Describe the mood for us. Give us a sense of what it felt like in that room?

STUART BACKERMAN, FORMER JACKSON PUBLICIST: I just thought Kenny Ortega (ph) did a marvelous job. It struck just the perfect tone between the performing arts, entertainment aspect and the memorial kind of emotional aspect. I just think he did a fabulous job and it was palpable, the feeling in that arena, really people hanging off every word. It was just marvelously done. I really enjoyed it very much.

BROWN: And amazing. He did it in such a short period of time -- I mean pulling it off, the rehearsals, getting all those people together and we're actually going to be talking to Kenny Ortega (ph) a little bit later in the show about he managed to do this. James, you know the family and they have certainly often been at odds but today really came together, didn't they?

JAMES WALKER, ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER: This was incredible. I talked to a client of mine who is out there with them and what he said is that this was how you do a tribute. This is how you bring it together. And the family is, I think, closer than people realize.

I think yes there has been some bickering like any family, but in my observation in working with them through my artist signed to their label for five years, they are actually much closer than people realize. And today was just vintage Jackson family, why they are royalty in our community and why they do it right. And it was also a tribute to Barry Gordie (ph) in a lot of ways, Jeff what he brought to the music industry. When you watch these artists like Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder and of course the Jackson family you realize how much Motown meant to all of us.

BROWN: What was your take on that, Stuart? And you also -- you knew Michael. I mean what would he have thought of today?

BACKERMAN: I just thought like I said it was just so well done artistically, the emotion and the feeling in that arena was really quite remarkable. I just thought it was really, really, really well done. And frankly it gave me more respect for the Jackson family. And I was Michael's spokesman and publicist -- often there was tension in the family, but just as your guest mentioned, just like in any family things happen. But what it showed me today was that the family is together and unfortunately, but in a sense the upside of this event, Michael passing away was that it brought a family together in a more formidable (ph) way and that made me very happy.

BROWN: And David, your most memorable moment from today?

DAVID WILD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, ROLLING STONE: Just the simple act of surviving this day and feeling relieved that we didn't -- that Ken Ehrlich (ph) and Kenny Ortega (ph) and Randy Phillips and the whole team that worked on it, that we didn't let down the family, that we were trying to lend a dignity to this man that's often been lacking in the coverage and some of the spectacle of his life.

And I feel like we remembered today that he was a man and you know for me, sitting with the brothers or being around the family and his friends and talking to them this last week, it's reminded me that he -- this was a man and he deserves to be remembered.

BROWN: Jeff.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SR. LEGAL ANALYST: You know one of the things that I thought really was striking was the gold casket. I thought if anybody deserves a gold casket it is Michael Jackson because he was a star. This guy was an entertainer. And I think that's what I thought was the best part of the service was that you had sense of his charisma, the songs, the achievement that he had made and all these, you know creating essentially the modern music video. You had that sense of what a big star he was. And, you know, he should have a gold casket.

BROWN: We are going to have a lot more on today's memorial service. One of today's most astonishing moments was when a 12-year- old boy who would have been part of Jackson's comeback concerts sang for the crowd, just blew everyone away. Check it out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC & SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC & SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Welcome back to our special coverage of the memorial service for Michael Jackson. Many had feared it would turn into a circus, but it was dignified, full of music, lots of stories. Members of the Jackson family showing their grief and also their gratitude for having Michael in their lives -- listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARLON JACKSON: I hurt. I stand here trying to find words of comfort solace, trying to understand why the Lord has taken our brother to return home from such a short visit here on earth. Michael, when you left us a part of me went with you. And a part of you will live forever within me but also a part of you will live forever within all of us.

We would never, never understand what he endured, not being able to walk across the street without a crowd gathering around him. Being judged, ridiculed, how much pain can one take? Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone. And I have one request, Michael, one request. I would like for you to give our brother, my twin brother, Brandon, a hug for me. I love you, Michael, and I'll miss you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Janet wants to say something.

P. JACKSON: I just want to say, ever since I was born daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just want to say I love him so much.

JERMAINE JACKSON: We want to thank you all for loving my brother and supporting our family. Thank you and good night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Let's bring back right now Stuart Backerman and David Wild in Los Angeles and here with me in New York James Walker and Jeff Toobin. And you know Stuart that moment there with the little girl on stage I think without question, the most heartbreaking moment of this service and such an unusual public role for these children who have led such private lives or such sheltered lives, didn't you think?

BACKERMAN: Oh, very much so. It was very, very touching. And really, it was an example of the good parent Michael was because when I was at Neverland and with the kids, he really was a good, loving father. They had a fantastic relationship and they were very close knit. So to see Paris come on, such an emotional moment and obviously give her heart out to her father was very, very touching. And that to me was almost like the keystone of that -- of the whole memorial service. BROWN: James.

WALKER: What was touching to me is that folks don't realize Marlon is kind of a spiritual force in the family. I've been working with him for several years through a client he was managing. You saw him say, you know, I'm trying to understand why God took my brother and Michael, can you tell my twin, Brandon, hello, give him a hug for me. And I thought what was deep about this day is that you saw what came forward was Jermaine is the spokesperson.

BROWN: Yes.

WALKER: Janet is young, still kind of hip, still relative to this generation. Quietly kept (ph) Randy is a business force in the family. Doesn't say a lot on air, doesn't grab the microphone. Doesn't perform a lot, but quietly he has kept -- he is the one that had the record label and was constantly doing some wonderful business things.

And Marlon again is kind of the spiritual force and you saw who took the -- kind of the command of the stage. Jackie, Tito (ph) -- Tito (ph) is very talented musically, but doesn't say a lot and the same with Jackie. So I was very impressed with how they conducted themselves and just how beautiful this family is. I mean they just -- to me it was just a beautiful family to see. We haven't seen them in years, Jeff.

BROWN: Yes, all together.

WALKER: We haven't seen them in years all together.

TOOBIN: Not and you know for many of us the memory is four of them singing backup for Michael and to see them as grown men sounding like Jackson, that sort of slightly high voice, looking sort of like Michael although Michael came to look so differently from the rest of them, seeing them as adults, as middle-aged men was really striking as a marker of the passage of time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And Campbell, I tried the Facebook all day to find out if people would love to see a tour and it was kind of mixed down the middle.

BROWN: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After seeing the brothers together you kind of want that back from your childhood, from the '60s, you would love to see the brothers come out, but it was kind of mixed down the middle. Fans were saying, let them grieve, let them get through this, and let's see where it goes. But there's a lot of talk about will they come back with a tour, maybe grab Usher, maybe grab somebody and do a date because you want to see them.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to see them.

TOOBIN: The Jackson's without Michael, I'm not sure...

(CROSSTALK)

TOOBIN: I'm not sure that you know...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But people want to see the family.

BROWN: David, let me go to you quickly. I know -- because you spent a little bit of time with the family over the last few days. What was their feeling going into this?

WILD: You know Campbell, I just want to say when you are discussing some of the things that people are most moved by, by the event, you know beyond the people who you know worked on the show, I don't want to reveal too much but I want to say another name, Mrs. Jackson, Katherine Jackson. Some of the key decisions that really ended up being so powerful and so meaningful came from her.

And I think she in her quiet way was a very important part of the tone of this event. Just for one example she reached out to Maya Angelou (ph) originally and I don't know -- for me that poem in a way set again a tone of dignity that was very, very meaningful for I think a lot of people.

BROWN: Right. We are going to continue our special coverage of Michael Jackson. We're also going to catch you up on some other big news of the day including Governor Sarah Palin talking to CNN about her bombshell decision to resign. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), ALASKA: I'm certainly not a quitter. I'm a fighter and that's why I'm doing this. To go out there and fight for what is right without the constraints that have been surrounding me in these final months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Let's check on some of the other stories making news today, here Erica Hill is right now with the download -- Erica.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Campbell, Sarah Palin saying she is not a quitter. CNN's Drew Griffin caught up with her on a family fishing trip to ask about her sudden decision to resign as Alaska's governor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PALIN: It is not a matter of retreating or quitting, it is a matter of progressing and forwarding a good positive agenda in an unconventional way and I confess what caught people off guard is wait a minute. This is kind of out of the box and unconventional. Well that is who we are as Alaskans and it's certainly how I am.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Cashes it in. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: As for her exact future Palin would only say she plans to work in public service. Adding quote "politically speaking if I die, I die, so be it".

President Obama wrapping up his Russian summit today declaring a strong Russia is good for the United States. He also sat down with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. CNN's Ed Henry asked him how that meeting went.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I found him to be tough, smart, very unsentimental. I think he is a practical person and to the extent that there are common interests like fighting terrorism, potentially nuclear proliferation where he believes that working with the United States advances Russian goals, I think he can be a potential -- a potential partner.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: The president heads to the G-8 Summit in Italy tomorrow.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meeting with ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya today in Washington. After that meeting she announced Costa Rican President and Nobel Peace Laureate Oscar Arias (ph) will serve as international mediator in the crisis caused by the military coup in Honduras last week. The U.S. has been calling for Zelaya's reinstatement.

Pentagon documents revealing an often forgotten cost of war -- the children of U.S. troops who went for outpatient mental health treatment, well they were there two million times last year. The Associated Press saying that it actually doubled the number at the start of the Iraq war and it comes at a time when the military is dealing with a shortage of therapists.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying the election that his opponents insist was rigged was actually in his own words completely clean and healthy. Today was his first national speech since Iran's supreme leader confirmed the election results and also today Iran's top three reformist leaders demanded an end to the heavy security and freedom for those who have been jailed for election protests.

Eight months after Election Day, Al Franken finally a member of the U.S. Senate -- Vice President Joe Biden administering the oath. Standing by Franken you'll see Minnesota's other U.S. senator and former Amy Klobuchar (ph) and also former Vice President Walter Mondale who's a Minnesota native. Franken gives Senate Democrats 60 votes, which is enough to prevent Republican filibusters, of course, in theory.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In theory.

BROWN: All right, Erica, we'll see you a little bit later.

Also a program note right now -- usually at this time of night you probably noticed Lou Dobbs is sitting here. Lou will be back tomorrow. Among the issues, he will be reporting on education including controversial plans by schools across the country to charge parents for their kids to participate in some activities like music and sports. That will be on Lou's show tomorrow night.

Perhaps the most touching moment in today's memorial service was when Michael Jackson's daughter spoke. We showed it to you just a few moments ago. Was it planned? Was it spontaneous? Find out from one of the men who was working on putting the show together behind the scenes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Jackson...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "Man in the Mirror", Michael Jackson.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Best selling American artist...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This video (INAUDIBLE) award is given to Michael Jackson...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Michael Jackson.

MICHAEL JACKSON: Again, I say thank you. Thanks to God. In the past I've gone from where is he to here he is again.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love you, Michael.

MICHAEL JACKSON: But I must confess it feels good to be thought of as a person, not as a personality.

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fame, fortune, they're all illusions.

(MUSIC & SINGING)

BROWN: Just hours before he died, Michael Jackson was on stage at the Staples Center rehearsing for what would have been a huge comeback tour. 50 shows in London. And just a little while ago I spoke with Kenny Ortega who directed and coordinated today's memorial.

It was only two weeks ago that Michael had his last rehearsal right there at the Staples Center and you were with him. I mean, given that, how did it feel standing on that stage today?

KENNY ORTEGA, DIRECTOR AND CHOREOGRAPHER OF MEMORIAL: Well, it was barely a week. And, you know, I guess, really, I'm just so thankful that the Jacksons were so gracious and generous and opening up this day to all of us, to the world, to the cast, you know. And enabling all of us to come together as one and to celebrate, you know, Michael, our friend, our boy.

BROWN: Kenny, you worked around the clock putting this memorial together. Give us a sense of what was happening behind the scenes, how these performers were chosen, how the songs were chosen.

ORTEGA: Well, the family set the tone. The Jackson family invited and Randy Phillips invited Ken Ehrlich and myself to organize the memorial. And there was a tremendous outpouring of friends and artists, everyone willing to do anything at all to be supportive and helpful.

Far more than we could have incorporated into, you know, today's services. So we're hoping that maybe the future will allow us another opportunity to celebrate Michael in an even grander scale.

BROWN: And you said the family kind of directed you in terms of what they wanted.

ORTEGA: Yes.

BROWN: How did they describe what they wanted out of today? What were their wishes?

ORTEGA: Well, we worked with Randy, and -- with Randy Jackson, Michael's brother, who communicated to the family and then back to us and we just had this wonderful, you know. sort of, you know, link between us. And basically what we wanted to do today was to create a remembrance that had reverence and dignity, that was special, that remembered Michael, and you know -- Michael's music, his friends.

We wanted laughter. We wanted a dynamic range -- the family wanted a dynamic range of friends and speakers and I think we accomplished that.

BROWN: One of the most touching moments today was when we saw Michael's children on stage singing and then the little girl Paris spoke. Was that planned?

ORTEGA: No. No. Not at all. In fact, none of us were aware that they were even coming. I didn't even think they would come. And, you know, Michael was so close with these beautiful children. These bright and beautifully mannered, gorgeous children who had the greatest relationship with him and he them.

Michael would often bring them to rehearsals. When we were shooting, we had special film content that we shot for the "This Is It" concerts. And Michael invited them to be on the set. And all of them were like little directors. You know? They couldn't have loved their dad more. And little Paris was his biggest fan. And -- so firstly, it was a surprise that they were there. All of us that knew them -- that know them were just so delighted that they were strong enough to be able to come and to feel this love and this great outpouring for their dad. And also touched but not surprised. Deeply touched, but not surprised that Paris was so close. You know a little girl couldn't love her papa more.

BROWN: Yes. We didn't hear Janet Jackson speak. Had she or any other members of the family plan to speak?

ORTEGA: We didn't know who was going to speak. There was an openness that we'd offered, you know, there at the end of the program so that if members of the family did want to come up and, you know, thank the fans and those that were present that they had that opportunity.

And -- but we were really surprised when they all came up for "We are the World" and "Heal the World." We would have never expected that they would have had the strength. You know? And it was beautiful. And I just -- when I saw their faces coming up the steps and joining us on the stage and the children, that was my greatest moment.

That -- for me personally that was the greatest moment to be on that stage with the Jacksons singing those songs, looking out at the world. That gave me strength and really helped to bring some closure.

BROWN: Kenny Ortega joining us tonight after a really extraordinary day.

Kenny, appreciate it so much.

ORTEGA: Thank you. Nice speaking with you.

BROWN: So many emotional moments from today's memorial. We'll have all the must-sees in our 8:00 hour. Right now here is Stevie Wonder performing "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer."

(VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: That was, of course, Jennifer Hudson from earlier today. We are going to have a whole lot more of her performance coming up in our next hour. Stevie Wonder called today's memorial for Michael Jackson, quote, "A moment I wished that I didn't live to see come."

Here right now, Stevie Wonder who's performing "They Won't Go When I Go."

(VIDEO CLIP)

STEVIE WONDER, SINGER: I love you, Michael. God bless you. BROWN: Stevie Wonder. So many emotional moments from today's memorial. We're going to have all the must-see moments in our 8:00 hour. We have a sample for you in just a moment. More of John Mayer, though, performing "Human Nature."

(VIDEO CLIP)

(VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: Today's nearly three-hour-long public tribute to Michael Jackson wasn't just a chance to grieve. It provided really amazing insights on Jackson from some of the people who knew him best. Never before we heard such candor about the king of pop.

And we want to bring back CNN contributor and former "Ebony" magazine editor, Bryan Monroe. Also joining us again, David Wild, who was part of the memorial's production team. Entertainment attorney, James Walker, and CNN senior analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, also back with us.

David, we knew, obviously, that the huge impact that Michael had on this younger generation of performers and entertainers. But also talk to us a little bit about what he meant for Smokey Robinson, you know, and Stevie Wonder and that generation as well.

DAVID WILD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "ROLLING STONE": Campbell, by weird media circumstance, I happened to talk to Stevie, Smokey and Lionel, all for "Rolling Stone" for this special tribute issue that is just out.

And in each case the love that came through and the truth with which they spoke because I have to tell you in all instances, there was -- beneath the love there was also anger. I think some righteous anger.

Smokey Robinson who, of course -- I'm sorry, Stevie Wonder, who being Stevie Wonder was the last person we interviewed for the issue right as we were going to print. He expressed, you know, anger that a sensitive soul like Michael could not sustain the sort of media hate he encountered.

And that some people were not meant to face the TMZs of the world just constitutionally. But Lionel Richie very powerfully spoke about the fact that at a certain point, in the tabloid world that Michael entered, the world becomes like a playground and that now some of the bullies who bullied him are calling him the king of pop, which they were vile to him for at the time.

So it was really interesting. But underneath all of their anger, Stevie, Smokey, Lionel, they spoke with such love for this man, and it made me realize that he was a man, which I think is what came through today.

BROWN: Yes, I'm so struck by that. The human part of it. You know, him becoming real for so many people as opposed to just this gigantic celebrity. And Bryan, you know, talk a little bit about that, because we've been talking about him for a week now straight. But the crowd really did react when they heard some of the people who knew him share this personal side of him.

BRYAN MONROE, FORMER EDITOR, EBONY MAGAZINE: You heard the wonderful comments from Brooke Shields about how they both were young stars and in fact Brooke said she started at 11 months old and Michael started at 5 years old. What took him so long?

But little moments like she didn't want him to grab her hand with that sequin glove because the sequins would cut her hand or even the touching moments when his brother Marlon towards the end said maybe right now, maybe finally, they can leave you alone.

WILD: Hey, Campbell?

MONROE: Referencing one of his songs, "Leave me Alone."

BROWN: Yes. Yes.

WILD: Campbell?

MONROE: It was a touching moment.

WILD: Can I say something about Brooke Shields?

BROWN: Yes. Go ahead, David.

WILD: When I spoke to her during the weekend about talking at the memorial, you know, she told me the story about Elizabeth Taylor and how they snuck in to try to see the wedding dress and I jokingly said oh, normal kid stuff. And she basically said to me, it was to us.

And it really brought it home for me that, you know, just because it was not the normal reality, it was their reality, and that just made Michael feel more real to me in a way that, you know, that just made me feel him beyond the music.

BROWN: Let me ask you, James, about a moment that stuck out for a lot of people. This is the Reverend Al Sharpton speaking today, listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHARPTON: I want his three children to know, there wasn't nothing strange about your daddy, it was strange what your daddy had to deal with, but he dealt with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: What did you make of that?

JAMES WALKER, ENTERTAINMENT ATTORNEY: What I made of it is that I thought Reverend Sharpton was trying to point out to the kids that Michael had reached an altitude that we had never ever seen an artist reach before. He's in a very rare category where I like to say JFK Jr., Princess Diana, Michael Jackson, like his brother Marlon said, where you couldn't walk across the street...

BROWN: Right.

WALKER: ... without being mobbed. And I think what Al Sharpton was trying to say is, to the children, was that Michael was not strange in the context of how the media initially broke this story in terms of he's a strange, weird guy, but he was different in terms of things he did that were peculiar.

Jeff and I have talked about it in prior shows. But at the same time, Al Sharpton was trying to say he was brilliant and most brilliant people are different. That's what makes them brilliant. That's the way I interpreted it.

TOOBIN: Campbell, that line from Al Sharpton was the one moment when I said to myself, give me a break. This was not just strange things that preyed on Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson slept in the same bed with boys who were not -- he was not related to. No one forced him to do that.

That was not right. That was part of Michael Jackson, too. And I think to create that this is all the media's fault is just misleading. Let's talk about the art. Let's talk about what a genius singer/dancer he was, but if you want to talk about his personal life, you've got to talk about the whole thing, not just, you know, part of it.

WALKER: But I think, Jeff, in fairness to Reverend Sharpton...

BROWN: But Jeff, well, you know...

WALKER: ... I think really...

BROWN: Hold on.

WALKER: Oh I'm sorry, Brian.

BROWN: No, go ahead, James.

WALKER: I think, in fairness, Jeff, when the story first broke, he was broke, he was strange, he was weird, there was so much emphasis on that that we didn't celebrate the life. And I think today the family finally did it right. I think this should've happened. We've been at the surf for about two weeks, this should've happened a while ago but we were battling...

(CROSSTALK)

TOOBIN: They went pretty fast.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: Very quickly, Brian, jump in, because there are, you can't deny, when we talk about his legacy, those conflicting things are always going to be there.

MONROE: They will be there, and -- but hopefully that won't be the first paragraph of his obituary. He led a full and fascinating life, but you're right, today was the day to honor and celebrate the man.

You heard when Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson said, you know, he was the greatest entertainer ever. Barry Gordy who said that, you know, he accomplished everything he set out to do.

How many of us could say that about our lives that we've accomplished everything we set out to do?

BROWN: Right.

MONROE: I think, you know, looking at the totality of the life, not just the controversy, not just the drama, but the man, the father, the son, and the musician, the artist, the dancer, the talent.

BROWN: And we've got to end it there. Brian Monroe joining us from L.A. along with David Wild and of course here with me in New York, James Walker and Jeff Toobin.

Thanks, guys.

As we mentioned earlier, Brooke Shields delivered a powerful eulogy today and we're going to be playing all of it for you coming up in our next hour. Also Larry King had a unique seat inside the Staples Center today and he's been talking to the family. And we'll talk with him in just a moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

P. JACKSON: I just wanted to say...

JANET JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S SISTER: Speak up, sweetheart, speak up.

P. JACKSON: Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Michael Jackson once said that he was most proud of his song "Heal the World." Today it was the final song at the memorial service. Take a look at this. This is Jackson's family and friends joining with the performers who had been rehearsing for the comeback tour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Think about the generations and to say we want to make it a better place for our children and our children's children so that they, they know it's a better world for them. And think they can make it a better place.

(MUSIC, "HEAL THE WORLD")

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: CNN Primetime begins right now.

BROWN: Tonight, a farewell fit for a king of pop. His friends and family say good-bye with hundreds of millions watching around the world. We'll show you everything you missed. The music, the star- studded eulogy, his family's last goodbye.

MARLON JACKSON: Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone.

P. JACKSON: And I just wanted to say I loved him so much.

BROWN: And we'll talk to some of the people who were there.