It’s the Jackson ladies versus the men in the decision of how the public should pay their final respects to Michael Jackson.
MJ’s father, Joe, as well as all the Jackson brothers, wanted to honor their brother with the excessiveness of both James Brown and Princess Diana‘s funerals, says the King of Pop’s former business manager, Dr. Tohme Tohme.
Joe and the Jackson men were set on having an open casket funeral and having the late King of Pop’s body driven through the streets so fans could throw flowers onto the casket a la Princess Diana.
“The family is fiercely divided. You’ve got the brothers on one hand, who all want to perform and turn the funeral into a showbiz extravaganza, and then you have Katherine on the other side who is a deeply religious woman and is determined that this won’t descend into a circus,” Dr. Tohme told reporters.
Bless her heart!
Added former Jackson tour manager Frank DiLeo: “‘She is the one who is pushing for a spiritual element to the funeral. If the brothers had their way, it would be the Jackson Five’s greatest performance. Or rather, the Jackson Four’s greatest performance.”
Momma Katherine has been backed by daughters Janet and LaToya in her decision to have a closed casket memorial at the Staples Center in LA on Tuesday. A single sequined glove and black fedora will be placed on top of the coffin in honor of the late music legend.
Katherine has yet to decide if Jackson’s three children will attend the memorial, but if they do, they’ll be at the Staples Center sans masks.
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