The city of LA — already half a billion bucks in debt — shelled out another $1.4 mil to throw the biggest memorial bash in recent memory for Michael Jackon.
Matt Szabo, a spokesman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, hailed the tally a success. He said it was “far less” than the initial estimate of $4 million.
The amount included $1.1 million in overtime pay for the 4,173 officers who worked to secure Staples Center, Forest Lawn cemetery and other areas that attracted fans and members of the media, the Police Department said in a statement. The remaining amount covered traffic control, cleanup and other costs. Part of those “other costs” were lunches for the cops, which were supplied by a restaurant 80 miles outside LA and cost $49,000.
But here’s the best part — they were prepared to have 250,000 people converge on downtown streets for the service. In the end? Only 1000 showed. I guess people really would rather watch this insanity from the comfort (and safety) of their own living room. Some common sense from the American masses? I neer thought I’d see the day.
Maybe not as many people cared as they originally estimated…
Or maybe all the fans were afraid to leave their hyperbaric chambers.
More like the fans didn’t know how to hide the small child impaled on their lap.
I love MJ, but really, the family should have fronted something. And AEG should have fronted the rest, or whoever else’s wonderful idea or suggestion it was to do a public thing at the Staples Center. Not that I didn’t appreciate being able to watch it. I just don’t think the CA taxpayers should ultimately be hit with the bill.
I would love to see the crime report for that day. I bet murder and other crimes jumped significantly.
Off topic…but is Blanket’s barbie sporting a MJ glove on one hand???
I heard it was an MJ doll, so yeah, I bet it was.
It’s ironic the doll is partially undressed and facing the right direction. I’m sure he’ll be used in therapy sessions for years to come.
Juding from the tight black pants and the jet black hair (& the MJ glove you mentioned) I think it’s a MJ doll…do they even make those? I don’t remember them when I was a kid, of course that was like 20 years ago & there’s a lot I don’t remember lol.
All of the officers on duty were on overtime and not pulled from other beats except those with desk positions.
LA has a local hotel and car rental tax, its very conceivable they will make that amount back or very close to it just from the press and visitors. Expedia reported traffic into LAX was up 20% last week.
Are you ppl kidding??? I think that the memorial brought in far more money than the city spent. People travelled to LA, rented hotel rooms and purchased food while they were there. Im sure most ppl who came from out of town are going to stay more than one day and do a little sight seeing and continue spending money. I dont think they should have encouraged ppl to stay home. All the reports have said that the crowds were very well behaved and there were no incidents. The more people that came out would have spent more money. Its like any other event a city hosts, Caribana or the Gay Pride Parade, there are always those who gripe about how much it costs never realizing how much tourism it attracts and money it injects into the economy.
> Caribana or the Gay Pride Parade,
You must be from Toronto?
I stumbled on to this site adn have only one thing to say. Who ever writes all this stuff is one seriously sad individual. To make your life evolve around the tiniest insignificant detail of famous peopel is one of the saddest things I could imagine doing for a living. The people that come here and read all this stuff are equally sad, but at least not on the scale of the site owner. Honestly I get it., its the irrelevant west, a dying culture on a path of unstoppable self destruction (fact) and for some the best way to avoid it is to immerse themselves in the complete irrelevance of other peoples lives.
When your old and dying I just hope some of you think back to how much of your life was wasted on this stuff. I guarantee you rgoing to regret it. Not the site owner of course becasue he/she is making a tidy revenue off teh advertising becasue all you suckers come to this awful site. Read what the write ups actually say…yes thats it NOTHING. Its just a ruse to get you fools to come here and be bombarded with intrusive advertising. Talking of advertising. Now theres an industry stuck in the 20 years ago. They completely bypass the people with disposable income. Yep, the baby boomer kids. But the again the ad industry is now run by 18 year olds who simply dont have a clue about anything. A bit like you lot
One good bit of news. The coming western revolution which will start in Europe within 20 years will be very bloody. But hey, at least we will be participating in something useful
OH, there will never be a revolution I hear you say. Oh, yeah you think no huh! Believe me, the west cannot survive on a diet of irrelevance and pushing bits of paper and typing crap on keys forever.
Do you really think China will be making all our crap in 20 years time. HA!, they have far bigger plans than servicing us lot. Open your eyes you weaklings and at least attempt to pass down some sort of future for your children.
See ya, suckers
Yes, quite right , people who occasionally visit a gossip site can’t possibly have room in their tiny brains for anything else.
Amazing how you got here by mistake then felt compelled to write a five paragraph response, which, by the way , I read all of , but still couldn’t quite work out your point.
Hey Sarah Palin, get the fuck off our site.
People who can’t tell the difference between “your” and “you’re” deserve to die.
People, you know better than to feed the trolls.
Note to Igotherebymistake: Don’t forget your meds, we can tell.
thanks for the laugh
Back in February, President Obama made his first official overseas visit to Ottawa (my home). For the weeks leading up to it, the media and police kept telling people not to bother showing up at the airport or the motorcade route or even Parliament Hill because there was no chance of seeing him. They kept repeating it over and over. So people stayed home. Not that there was lack of interest, there was tons of interest but if security was going to be that tight and he was only here for a few hours, etc. so people didn’t show.
So what did he do. He went for a walkabout in the Byward Market, shook people’s hands, bought souvenirs, etc. So many people (myself included) were pissed because we coud’ve seen him.
So that’s what likely happened. The interest was there but not strong enough to be stuck in a ginormous crowd.
I love Ottawa! And the Byward Market. That said, let’s hope that pertaining to the MJ extravaganza- the interest just wasn’t there. Gives me more hope in the intellegence of the “American People.”
Little secret….I was born in Ottawa.
As a current resident of Los Angeles (don’t ask me why I still live in this s***hole of a metropolis), this news sickens me. One can only count the numerous ways that $1.4 million could have been better allocated in a city ridden with potholes, an inferior educational system, and a wide array of inferior services (including and especially the LAPD). However, I then have to remind myself that this town is run by a glad-handing, spotlight seeking, do-nothing mayor (Antonio Villa-la-stupida) along with a corrupt city council that is in anyone’s back pocket where there’s a thick wallet. It’s so nice to see they made no hesitation in spending the tax payers’ bucks to make sure everything was in order for the memorial service of a has-been, freaky, weirdo entertainer that was accused not once, but twice, of child molestation. Sad state of affairs, indeed.
Keyword: ACCUSED.
If you were accused of killing, molesting, or raping people, but there was no evidence that you actually did anything, should we just assume you did it? Yeah, Jackson was a little off in his later years. But his appearance and unusual public persona shouldn’t be be used as evidence in allegations against him.
I cannot stand the media spectacle that celebrity deaths create. Especially such high-profile celebs like Jackson, but the memorial was tasteful and well-deserved.
Lets not forget that MJ left 20% of his will to charities, don’t tell me that LA is not going to benefit from that, and lets not forget all the charities he’s already supported, did’nt hear any complaints then, what a bunch of hypocrites!!!
dwd dwqdlk dwqm, mqdwdqwd qw