PARIS - MILLIONS of Michael Jackson fans staged their own worldwide farewell to their idol on Tuesday, organising ceremonies to mark his funeral and gathering before giant screens to watch the Los Angeles tribute to the King of Pop.
MESSAGES in an array of languages were being fired off to Jackson memorial forums at Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and online haunts where video or news of the event were being shared in an unprecedented global farewell. Facebook said that its users were at times firing off 6,000 comments per minute.
Nearly half a million Jackson memories were posted at an official Sony Music website in tribute to the King of Pop before the briefly delayed concert got underway.
With many still refusing to believe that 50-year-old Jackson has died, the grief has taken Jackson-mania to new heights with the singer on top of album charts around the world.
In the Asia-Pacific region, an army of Jackson fans stayed up all night to watch the concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles where tributes from friends and associates were punctuated by performances from Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder and Jennifer Hudson.
Television channels in nearly every major country showed the event live because of its importance.
US President Barack Obama even weighed in during an official trip in Russia, saying Jackson was 'one of the greatest entertainers of our generation.' 'I think like Elvis, like (Frank) Sinatra, like the Beatles, he became a core part of our culture,' Mr Obama told CNN, acknowledging the 'tragedy' that was a part of the singer's life.
'His extraordinary talent and his music was matched with a big dose of tragedy, and difficulty in his private life,' Mr Obama said. 'I don't think we can ignore that, but it's important for us to affirm what was best in him.' Some of Jackson's closest friends including Diana Ross, Elizabeth Taylor and Quincy Jones, skipped the public memorial in Los Angeles.
Ross, who was named in Jackson's will as an alternative guardian for his children should his mother die or be unable to care for them, sent a message, saying she had 'decided to pause and be silent. This feels right for me.' Former South African president Nelson Mandela said in a message, 'Michael was a giant and a legend in the music industry.
'And we mourn with the millions of fans worldwide,' said Mr Mandela's message, read out by singer Smokey Robinson.
'We had great admiration for his talent and that he was able to triumph over tragedy on so many occasions in his life,' Mr Mandela added, saying Jackson had become like a member of the Mandela family. -- AFP
Even before Jackson's shimmering gold casket made it to downtown Los Angeles, millions of fans worldwide were watching and mourning online.
