The world lost not only a legendary screen talent but an unstoppable humanitarian and all-around Hollywood goddess when Dame Elizabeth Taylorpassed away this week. Her family and those who knew her personally lost much more: a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and loyal friend.
Amid the tears, this one-of-a-kind Dame had the last laugh. She not only arranged to show up late to her own funeral, she kept media hounds and grave hunters guessing as to her final resting place until the very end.
Despite persisent rumors that a "major star" (did we really need three guesses?) had engaged the services of Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale after being impressed with their handling of Michael Jackson's 2009 funeral, TMZinitially and erroneousy reported she'd be buried in a crypt beside her beloved parents Francis and Sara at Westwood Memorial Park as if it were a done deal before discovering the real story.
Thus, most everyone was caught off guard when her funeral came together within 24 hours of her death (in keeping with Jewish burial rites) at the Memorial Terrace of Forest Lawn's Great Mausoleum, the eternal resting place of her dear friend Michael who rests in the Sanctuary of Ascension at the GM's Holly Terrace.
Tough luck for the hideous Westboro gnats who had neither the time nor a prayer to mobilize. God really does work in mysterious ways.
My first hunch was that perhaps she had purchased a seemingly empty family room at the end of the Sanctuary of Bendiction across from MGM Boy Wonder Irving Thalberg, but I was wrong.
After all was said and done, and Dame Elizabeth was laid to rest in a very private ceremony, Los Angeles sister news stations KCAL9 and KCBS2 reported that she was entombed beneath the statue of an angel (or in its base), also described as a "soaring Michelangelo angel." (Original source re: beneath the statue was Dame Elizabeth's publicist, Sally Morrison.)
The only angel I know of that would be Dame worthy on Memorial Terrace and anywhere else inside the GM is the mighty "In Memoria" - located in the Hall of Memory, facing down Cathedral Corridor where she's been greeting visitors on their way to the infamous Last Supper Stained Glass Window since 1931.
Standing 15 feet tall on its base (the statue itself is a tad over 10 feet high) "In Memoria" is mesmerizing, just like Dame Elizabeth. I have to admit that in all the years I've studied the GM, I never once thought of it as being an entombment spot, and most every seasoned grave hunter I've spoken to couldn't figure it out either when we first heard the news tonight. But as we've come to realize, the GM holds many twists, turns and surprises within her immortal walls.
"She gives the promise of a new day which shall know no night; she offers the pledge that no name shall perish; she does not offer death, but eternity and a life remembered. She is the Angel of Memory." ~ excerpt from Art Guide of Forest Lawn (1941)
At first glance the setting behind this amazing creation, sculpted from Porracci marble by Italian sculptor Professor Ermenegildo Luppi (not Michelangelo), appears to be just a wall. But if you look closer, there appears to be two crypt fronts on either side of the base. Architecture-wise, there's room behind the wall for entombments.
Will Dame Elizabeth's name and epitaph eventually appear on one of them or on the base? I'm guessing yes. Time will tell. It is interesting to note that she chose a location that is accessible to the public. Back in the day when Memorial Terrace was first opened, you had to get tickets to see the Last Supper window show because it was so popular. Don't be surprised if its popularity rises again.
3/28/2011 Update: See post-funeral photo of "In Memoria" surrounded with flowers at Findagrave.com.
Thank you, Dame Elizabeth, for not only choosing a place where your fans can pay respects (unless something changes policy-wise) but for also exposing everyone, by default, to the amazing array of art and cultural history that this area of the Great Mausoleum has to offer.
Map of the Great Mausoleum showing Holly & Memorial Terrace Locations (Original Image Source: Reuters)
According to every Michael Jackson fan I talked to (or read online) their sorrow for the loss of his unquestionably best friend was comforted by the fact that the two will now rest together forever in immortality in the same structure, albiet on different terraces. His fans continue to show their devotion with pilgrimmage to Forest Lawn and from what I've heard Dame Elizabeth will get from them the same royal treatment and respect.
Rest well, Dame Elizabeth. Thank you for every good deed you did for others, for caring for and loving people with AIDS at a time when the world shunned them, for fighting the good fight through your foundation and for being one of Hollywood's authentic, fascinating stars with a capital S-T-A-R.
"In Memoria" images were donated by Cemetery Historians Anonymous and are not for media reproduction without permission/linkback, please and thank you. Thank you to the Hollywood Underground for your assistance on this story.
Michael Jackson fans who had a strong dislike for the tribute platform (dubbed The Putting Green) located just north of Holly Terrace at Forest Lawn Glendale are rejoicing over its demise this week.
Photographed Sept. 17, 2010
It was taken down on Monday and early this morning four members from Forest Lawn's grounds, grass and watering crew laid new sod over the patch of dirt left behind. Team lead Gil told me no new platform would be replacing it.
They used approximately 250 sq. feet of durable multi-grass sod and would be watering it thrice daily for the next week until it takes root. All in a days work for these guys.
So, where can fans leave tributes now? According to cemetery workers on site this morning, items are welcome at the north end of the Holly Terrace patio near the mother and child statue. The statue was wrapped in plastic this morning to protect it from recent cleaning work being done in the area per the crew. This morning I saw two cards and several bouquets of flowers.
What can you leave at Holly Terrace nowadays? I took a straw poll of several Forest Lawn employees around the park this week and each one of them confirmed to me rumors that items left at Holly Terrace are eventually thrown away, in accordance with cemetery policy.
This is not a new policy, it's been a part of their literature for as long as I can remember, dating back to 1988. What's new is a FYI sign that's been placed in the area spelling out the rules about non-conforming decorations just so there's no confusion or surprises.
Readers, I'm not opposed to dumpster diving for photographic evidence to go along with this report, but Forest Lawn's trash bins are in a secure area and I do try to be respectful when on the property getting a story.
What I can tell you is that this morning I witnessed an employee taking an armful of drawings, framed photos and other paper items out from within Holly Terrace and placed them in a company truck. He said they would go to the Jackson family. The garbage can was filled with expired flowers, from what I could see.
Because other cemetery employees had previously told me that flowers surrounding the Jackson sarcophagus were examined for freshness daily, and because this morning's source (who asked not to be photographed or named) was nice enough to answer my questions, I chose not to rip open the bag and snap further images out of common courtesy.
I was able to wander the entire terrace patio this morning with no issues, as were three other people.
My clean up crew source told me that one of the biggest problems with fans leaving things at the Holly Terrace is the mess that candle wax has created. Namely, unsightly stains from wax melted by lit candles and candles that have melted in the hot sun. That wax has soaked into the stone slabs and the cemetery maintenance crew has not been able to clean it off with power washing or preventing it with sealant.
As previously requested by Forest Lawn officials, fans are asked to please leave clean up efforts to their crews. Hopefully this problem will be solved in the future and I'll let you know when and how when it is. Fans can do their part by leaving candles at home or at the very least not leave them burning unattended or in the sun to melt.
I realize that Jackson fans have lots and lots of questions about what's going on at Forest Lawn from day to day. Many eyewitness accounts circulate on forums, Facebook and Twitter - some facts and a lot of speculation and heated, reactionary opinions. Read using your own discrimination.
My goal here is to be objective and offer what I believe to be solid, reliable information. I wish I had all the answers today, because I have a lot of the same questions. I can only be truthful in saying I don't know it all. But I will continue to visit Forest Lawn, ask around, sidestep drama and share with readers what I personally see and hear in an effort to be helpful.
A year ago tonight, Michael Jackson was laid to rest inside the Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Glendale. A caravan of his family and friends exited the park at 10 p.m. after his funeral. I was in the media pool set up on Glendale Blvd. outside the cemetery gates. It wasn't my first media pool experience but I would say it was the most surreal.
Today I reflected on the past year. I intended to do that reflecting by going to Forest Lawn, as I have done so many times, to cover activity outside Holly Terrace. I readied myself, packing my notebook, camera and bottled water in anticipation of the hot temps outside.
But for some reason, I couldn't will myself out the door.
There was a voice inside of me asking "what will you find there today that you haven't found already?"
To be sure there would be Michael Jackson fan activity. Devoted people who would be bringing flowers, cards, drawings and gifts to their idol, which I find to be genuinely newsworthy. But something else was gnawing at me today, the sense of something less tangible.
So I decided not to force myself go to Forest Lawn out of a sense of obligation because of the date, and instead stayed home and kept busy with other writing projects.
All the while, in the back of my mind, I was getting flashes of the many people I've met because of Michael Jackson and how many of them told me the same thing: how his life, and death, inspired them to recognize their own callings, talents and gifts and not to waste them or the time they have left on this planet.
As the day rolled on it was clear to me that this was the message I was supposed to hear today.
When people die, certain dates (like the day someone is buried) hold significance to those left behind in grief, especially during the first year. They mark the passing of time, a reminder of what was, what is and would could have been. Tonight I'd like to add to that list: what can be.
Human beings are forever changed when someone we love, care about and/or admire is gone, as I've seen his fan base experience this past year. Part of anyone's legacy is what others do with their own lives in their absence, how do you fill the hole they left behind? What do you have to contribute to the world that's good and beneficial to others when there's one less person offering their own positive contributions?
What are you good at, what gives your life meaning, and how will you use those energies and gifts, if at all?
It's a personal, unique journey of discovery, decisions and choices for each individual.
I choose to continue to pursue my love of writing and of cemeteries, exploring history from the ground up and the social and emotional impact of death and grief on the living. I will continue to cover Michael Jackson and Forest Lawn as part of my beat. But for today, I didn't need to be at the cemetery to find a story to share with you. Like so many other times, the story found me.
Rest in peace, Michael. Like so many in the world, senselessly gone too soon. Your legacy continues. Thank you for continuing to inspire so many, many people in ways a lot of us never imagined you would.
Sunday, August 29th, marked what would have been Michael Jackson's 52nd birthday and many of his fans living in or visiting the Los Angeles area chose to commemorate the occassion by spending a portion of their day paying respects at Forest Lawn Glendale.
Karen S. Kmiecik from Peace.Love.Michael.Us Michael Jackson Community on Amazon (formerly Cry) sent me a copy of an ad their group placed in all editions of the Indiana Post-Tribute on Saturday to honor Michael, and asked if there might be some way I could help them out by sharing it on this blog. Very happy to help! Here's the ad:
Be sure to also check out Post-Trib coverage of birthday happenings this past weekend in Michael's hometown of Gary, Indiana.
I printed it out and placed it in a plastic frame next to flowers I took to Forest Lawn late Sunday afternoon, in the memorial staging area outside of Holly Terrace.
Earlier in the day I had done my regular volunteer work at Grand View Memorial Park on the other side of Glendale, so I missed Michael's brother, Randy Jackson, who tweeted around noon that he would be at Forest Lawn between 3:00 and 3:30 p.m.
X17Online.com was on the scene and offers this exclusive report. On June 25th this year, X17Online also provided exclusive photo coverage of the Jackson Family's one year anniversary memorial inside the Great Mausoleum, see those photos here if you missed that.
I arrived to Forest Lawn around 4:15 p.m. and met up with Karlene Taylor from Justice4MJ and the Official Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California, missing the rest of the group who had already visited Forest Lawn after seeing the sun rise over Neverland Ranch that morning.
While at Neverland they left approximately 100 hand-decorated Rocks of L.O.V.E. which were crafted with personalized messages for Michael from his fans. Each rock also represents a donation to the MJ Team that will be participating in the 26th Annual AIDS Walk Los Angeleson October 17th.
The rock project raised approximately $750 toward the team's goal of $2,500 for this worthy cause. Here's my rock, bathed in Neverland sunshine:
No official count but it's safe to say that hundreds of people stopped by Forest Lawn over the course of the weekend. This is nowhere near the 6,000 that had visited on the first anniversary of his death in June, and that's to be expected because they're two different types of milestones.
I got there at tail end of it all and found several dozen fans, both locals and people from other cities and countries, milling around quietly, placing flowers, drawings, cards, small gifts and taking photographs on and around the memorial platform stationed just north of the Holly Terrace patio.
Some sat off apart from the gathering in quiet contemplation while others talked amongst themselves, recalling memories of Michael. A few cars drove by with his music drifting out of rolled down windows. Emotions ran the gamut from smiles of apprecition to tears of grief, particularly for those who told me that they were visiting for the first time and found it overwhelming.
Orange parking cones cordoned off the steps to the Holly Terrace patio and entrance doors until 4:30 p.m. when the mausoleum visiting hours ended and the building was closed. During visiting hours the patio and doorway areas remains cleared by security to ensure that friends and family members of loved ones interred inside have privacy and unencumbered access entering and exiting. After 4:30 p.m. drive-by security monitored but had no issues with fans occupying those areas.
A group of about a dozen ladies had earlier in the day volunteered at the Heal The World For Children 2nd Annual Children's Festival for sick and disadvantaged kids at Woodley Park in Van Nuys arrived around 5:30 p.m. Among them was Tami Blakely who told me that approximately 120 children from numerous organizations such as LA's Best and The Starlight Foundation enjoyed a day of food, carnival games, dance and hoola hoop lessons and water balloon toss.
Around 3:15 p.m. they gathered to watch a special aerial banner fly over (sponsored by MJ fans on Facebook, me included) and released balloons in Michael's honor as it passed over. See a video of that here courtesy of the nicoleerics YT Channel.
Also with the group was Taaj Malik who brought with her a special Thank You card that she created for Forest Lawn officials that included messages of appreciation from many fans in recognition of courteous way Forest Lawn has treated them since Michael's entombment there nearly a year ago.
She told me that she was inspired to make the card particularly after the June 25th anniversary when she brought three boxes of cards and gifts sent in from other fans, and cemetery security reps took the time to hold up each piece to be photographed before being placed.
Additionally, Lorene Malaika and Brigitte Huguet brought a birthday cake for Michael featuring frosting balloons and 52 candles. Around 30 fans gathered around to sing "Happy Birthday" at the doors. After round two of the chorus half the candles blew out on their own, and a few lit back up just as suddenly. I can tell you that from where I was standing, right in front, it wasn't what I'd describe as being the result of a gust of wind. There was none that I recall.
I could kick myself for not having my video camera rolling because it was one of those goosebump moments where everyone looked around at each other and wondered "did you just see what I saw?" Believe what you will, but I'm among those who thought it was Michael in spirit pulling one of his famous pranks. The timing was so spot on.
In lieu of video evidence, here's some pictures that will have to do. I snapped a shot just as the candles were going out:
Just before leaving I ran into fellow Burbank resident and Facebook friend Karen Elder-Jackson who had brought with her a Happy Birthday banner and paint pens so that people could sign their names on the letters. I thought her idea was brilliant for it's thoughtfulness and participatory elements. Here's a young fan leaving her signature. She was visiting all the way from Austria with her mom, dad and little brother.
Speaking of being thoughtful, props to Karlene for bringing a bottle of Windex to quietly clean the smears off the glass portions of the Holly Terrace doors. And also a special shout out to Joanna Ramos who I'm told does random acts of sweeping and clean up around the area on a regular basis.
As night began to fall it was time for me to take off so I missed the candle prayer gathering fans were assembling for outside the Holly Terrace doors. Thank you to everyone for spending time talking with me and allowing me to take their photos for this blog piece.
I hope this wrap up of what I witnessed and learned during the waning hours of Michael's birthday at Forest Lawn gives you an understanding of the types of good deeds and loving gestures that fans from all walks of the MJ Fan Community offered up to honor their idol's legacy on this special day. Well done, everyone!
"History From The Ground Up" is the tag line for my blog because to me that's what grave hunting is all about. I love collecting Los Angeles cemetery ephemera, including books, photos, postcards, brochures and maps. I use them when I'm out and about to compare the then and now aspect of the property I'm exploring.
California became a state in 1850 and state legislative acts concering cemeteries were not enacted until 1854. According to historian Sue Silver in her article History of California Cemetery Laws at USGenNet:
The first cemetery related law was intended to provide protection of the state's earliest burying grounds, and to ensure that those who would desecrate them in any way, would be severely punished. The 1854 act also provided the first definition of what was considered by the State to be a "public grave-yard." In Section 4 of the 1854 act, any place where six dead bodies had been buried was "declared" to be a "public grave-yard."
By comparison to eastern colonial states and other countries, 160 years isn't quite as ancient as far as history goes. But enough time has gone by, and enough changes have occurred to keep it interesting.
On a recent visit to Forest Lawn Glendale, I brought along a copy of the book 100 Years in the Life of Forest Lawn by Laura Kath, published in 2006 to commemorate the cemetery's centennial. I also brought along my video camera to do a sample Then & Now report to test the waters on adding multi-media to my blog.
Here's my result:
Videotaping and narrating at the same time is obviously not my forte so far, kinda like walking and chewing gum, ha. But I think this gives you an idea of what it's like to stand at the site of a memorial and compare it to a photograph that was taken many years ago and under very different cirumstances.
If you'd like to see other videos of grave hunting with a historical twist, I recommend watching my fellow cemetery enthusiast Josh Perry's YouTube channel at GraveHunterGuy.
With the tons of activity going on at Forest Lawn Glendale surrounding the first anniversary of Michael Jackson's passing last month, I've been lax in posting any signfiicant updates here. Why? Well...
Life's been a blur since late May. My mom, Tillie, had a stroke so I went to Michigan to help her and my family out for several weeks in June. A week into my TLC trip, I received word from my neighbors at home, who were catsitting, that my cherished little love, Jackpot, died.
So, it's taken me a while to wrap my mind around inspired blogging, and life in general, since I returned to California. I've been absorbing a lot of changes and rethinking my priorities. It's a process we all go through from time to time.
Meanwhile, Michael's anniversary date, June 25th, also happens to be my Dad's birthday. Arn died in 1984 at the age of 54, and this year marked what would have been his 80th milestone. While I did have thoughts of events taking place back here, I spent the day sharing the family love with Mom (who's recovering remarkably well ~ thank you, God) by visiting Dad's grave at Glen Eden Memorial Park in Livonia.
Can you say heaping helpings of perspective? That said....
I guess the best way to approach things at this point is to offer a round-up of Jackson-FLG topics that people have asked me about or brought to my attention:
The First Anniversary
Needless to say, the media has amply covered this historic day, so I'll refer you to Google rather than rehash the play-by-play. FL officials estimated that approximately 6,000 guests visited the park that day, many making their first pilgrimage. Because I wasn't there, I have no personal perspective, but have enjoyed reading the accounts of many, many fans online as well as watching videos, even raw footage such as this one from PSBSatellite.com:
The Platform
The post-25th set up at the cemetery now consists of a wood-n-astroturf platform adjacent to the Holly Terrace entrance. Forest Lawn spokesperson Bill Martin tells me that "it was constructed by Forest Lawn in order to facilitate the placing of tributes by the public, while still allowing authorized visitors of the Great Mausoleum unimpeded access."
The influx of fans making first-time or regular pilrimages to Michael's final resting place has grown trememdously. This is a no-brainer. Summer in Los Angeles is high tourism season. Michael's death anniversary and his birthday, August 29, more or less bookend this timeframe.
Visitors to the cemetery who I've talked to run the gamut from lifelong devoted MJ fans bringing tokens of love to the mildly curious bringing their inquiring minds.
Here's what it looked like on Saturday, July 31st:
The structure is about 10'x12' in size and, as one fan aptly described it, resembles a putting green. I say this with all due respect to the Forest Lawn crew who constructed it, but this is Michael Jackson we're talking about. Many, rightly or wrongly so, expect and are acustomed to Hollywoodesque opulence. So the critiques I've heard (mainly from devoted fans who have previously had the opportunity to leave flowers and gifts at the Holly Terrace door) have been unflattering. But it does serve its purpose.
The astroturf was replaced earlier this week after a recent candle mishap resulted in two burn holes. One was actually kind of heart-shaped. Cue "Twilight Zone" music. Do it with love, but also, let's be careful out there.
What happens to the items now that there are so many? Reports vary and fans have definite opinions as to what should happen to them, ranging from going to Michael's children and family to various charities. So far, nothing official has been announced, although Justice4MJ.comhad something to say about it on their site today.
Update 8/3: I asked Bill to clarify the flower placement issue brought up in the Justice4MJ.com blog piece, and here's what he told me ~ once again, thanks for your time, Bill!
"The charge they're referring to is a placement fee, a service made available to guests who wish for Forest Lawn to place the flowers/arrangements on their behalf at the interment site of their choice. In this case, we place flowers/arrangements according to our agreement with the family.
Arrangements are placed on the platform adjacent to Holly Terrace and then placed inside the sanctuary as space permits in order to accommodate the wishes of the family, while adhering to our internal standards."
The Vandalism
Last month's discovery of writings on the exterior of the Great Mausoleum gets the blue ribbon when it comes to causing distress and disharmony among the MJ fan base and tabloid media regarding Michael's grave site. All told, I spent about a day's worth of my life that I'll never get back reading message threads on Facebook and Twitter trying to make sense of it all.
In a nutshell, at some point in time, more than one misguided MJ fan wrote messages of love to their idol under a stained glass window. Once discovered by fans, it became a heated topic of - I'll call it "debate" - on Facebook on or about July 11 from what I saw. TMZ picked up on it and stirred the pot on July 13 and July 14 and their stories were picked up by skads of other media such as local news station KTLA.
On July 13, I touched base with Bill Martin to get the official word on what was going on and was told that the cemetery maintenance crew had cleaned it up and there would be no external costs. Your basic non-issue. Great! End of story.
Not.
Later that night I saw a tweet go by on my MJ community news feed from Taaj Malik mentioning that Lorene Malaika was onsite that day taking the cleaning job on herself, having tackled five of eight messages. I went back to Bill for clarification and comments, and he asked if there was a way to get in touch with Lorene to speak with her directly. Taaj helped me get the word to Lorene, done and done.
Afterwards Bill followed up to say that he was pleased to have spoken with Lorene and had let her know that he appreciated her efforts, and that Forest Lawn would happily take care of the cleaning from there.
"Whenever we encounter instances where the public has defaced the grounds, we address the maintenance or repair internally," Bill explained. So, bottom line best practice note: any MJ fan, or park visitor in general, who may find something amiss on the cemetery grounds in the future should alert Forest Lawn authorities to the problem so they can handle it.
Makes perfect property-owner sense to me.
I was still a bit confused as to exactly where on the Great Mausoleum messages had been written so I asked Lorene and Taaj to meet me at Forest Lawn this weekend to give me a walk-thru as well as the opportunity to ask questions about their experience.
While I was under the impression that the messages were closer to the Holly Terrace patio, they were actually under a window located behind bushes and directly under the Ascension Sanctuary Windows on the opposite side of the building. The messages were mostly small in nature, about 4" long, except for one that was a bit more bold at approximately 20" by their estimates.
Lorene told me that she spent about an hour using water, a scrub brush and dish soap on the markings, a few which had been written in eyeliner, the rest written in permanent ink that looked like a Sharpie pen. The eyeliner, obviously was the easiest to remove as it transitioned from words to a purple smear stain before finally coming off.
While both ladies told me that they expressed initial outrage at the vandalism, and still consider it wrong, Taaj explained that after talking to at least one culprit who admitted guilt, they gained an understanding of their intentions and the vandal learned a huge, scary lesson from the fallout. "They meant no harm, it was, in their way, an expression of love and our thought was okay let's deal with it and clean it off."
Writing on walls in the name of MJ is, to say the least, a hot-hot-hot button topic that has lead to jaw-droppingly vile threads here, there and yonder on the internet, and also a Facebook group devoted to an anti-defacing campaign. Personally, I'm against the practice, although once during my college years when I was very drunk I was guilty of the same sort action, so I'm not going to throw any stones or Sharpies.
But overall, the major concern among fans is that this type of action ruins the reputation of fans in the eyes of Forest Lawn and will affect their ability to visit. So far, thankfully, that's not been the case.
The Newest Barrier
I was alerted late Friday by a Forest Lawn visitor with legitimate access to the Great Mausoleum that while inside the building they saw a big black curtain strung across the entire front of the Ascension Sanctuary, obscuring it completely from view, and that a security guard was positioned near the inside of the Holly Terrace door.
Yesterday a similar report hit Facebook, I read it on Official Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California. Speculation and worry about what this meant to fan access to Forest Lawn, frustration over being separated further from him, etc. etc. etc. was rampant and I started to feel dizzy. This is the point in the program where I begin to question, for the purposes of this blog and time management, what constitutes a worthwhile story?
Anyway, today, I read a post by one of the group's admins, Amy Kimes, who reported that after she participated in the Heal The Children walkathon at the Rose Bowl (raising over $1000 in pledges from MJ fans, kudos all) that she stopped by Forest Lawn to inquire with security about the development.
"They are preparing for many followers of [Paramahansa] Yogananda to visit this week who is also buried in Holly Terrace. The curtain is only temporary and will be removed," she wrote. Thank you, Amy.
A quick check of The Self-Realization Fellowship2010 World Convocation itineary confirms they will be making a pilgrimage to Forest Lawn this Tuesday.
Update 8/1: Bill Martin also confirmed today that "the screen was placed on a temporary basis as a result of other scheduled visitations throughout the Great Mausoleum." Thank you, Bill. Also, thank you Taaj for confirming even earlier yesterday on Facebook information about the temporary situation with the curtain live from Forest Lawn, just seeing your initial bulletin now. I very much appreciate everyone who works hard to distribute facts, thus quelling untold amounts of speculation that results in needless heartache.
Want to read Yogananda's fascinating mortuary report? Click here.
The Big Picture
This round up report has turned out to be longer than I expected it to be, so I'll end here for now.
There are other good news stories happening out of Forest Lawn, like a number of successful flower and gift delivery initiatives that have blossomed in the past year, people who do random acts of kindness and I'm also going to share with you a bit of Art History, FL style.
That's the big picture I see, the one I choose to focus on and invest time in down the road. I hope you'll join me as we head into year two of Micheal Jackson-related coverage, not to mention more stories from other Los Angeles cemeteries, the idea this blog was founded on.
There never seems to be a dull moment as fans of Michael Jackson count down to the emotion-packed one year anniversary of his passing on June 25th. Nothing has been officially announced as to what will be happening that day at Forest Lawn Glendale and that has left many fans who have planned pilgrimages from around the world on edge.
Adding to the 'will they or won't they' be allowed to visit Holly Terrace worry is the recent change in protocol made by Forest Lawn regarding activity on the terrace patio, which I wrote about the other day.
Perhaps we'll all get some answers today. Michael's brother, Randy Jackson, announced on his Twitter page Saturday that he'll be doing a Q&A there today (Sunday, June 6th) at 3pm PT. For readers in other time zones who want to see Randy's tweets live, here's a handy World Clock Calculator.
Presumably he'll be clarifying, among other things, his quote published June 4th on X17Online.com:
"I just had a meeting with Forest Lawn and beginning on June 25, the anniversary of my brother's death, fans will be able to go right up to the mausoleum and drop off flowers and pay their respects. Michael loved his fans, and the family wants to make sure that the fans are able to celebrate his incredible life."
Update 6/6 5pm PT ~ And, he did. :) Here's his tweets. Thank you, Randy!
This set off a fire storm of discussion among fans on the internet with various interpretations of what Randy -- and the headline -- technically meant. Does access to the mausoleum mean inside? (My read on "up to" meant just that, up to the door.)
Reporting within the story also caused heated debate. Namely that "Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale is opening up the gates to Michael
Jackson's fans" and "Forest Lawn security had been informed that
fans were no longer welcome" at the mausoleum.
A case of ignorance about the lay of the land at Forest Lawn, or calculated pot-stirring? Maybe a bit of both.
First off, fans continue to be welcome. What's changed recently is that they are no longer allowed to congregate on the top porch after placing memorial tributes outside the entry door there.
Instead, those who feel the need to linger have been verbally instructed by security to only do so on the lower patio area, the sidewalk and the
adjacent lawn. I know this because I've witnessed it happen and I also spoke with security personnel on-scene who confirmed these details.
Here's a visual to help clarify:
Secondly, my interpretation of "opening up the gates" is that it's a common turn
of phrase which, if taken literally, logically refers to the famous 25-foot iron
gates at the entrance of the cemetery, not the short, decorative sanctuary bronze gates in the alcove in front of the Jackson sarcophagus within Holly Terrace. Those gates are behind another barrier made up of a marble sanctuary book and chains.
I contend that people will read into the words what they want, wish, hope and pray for, lead by emotion and not logic, and that's understandable. But, taking into consideration that hundreds, maybe thousands, of fans who plan to be at Forest Lawn that date -- not to mention the thousands of roses initiative already on order -- which gates would logically accomodate the throngs in such a scenario? Here's photos of each, you be the judge:
Photo courtesy of TMZ if that wasn't already obvious
I also believe there's a media mindset -- based on Randy's earlier tweet about plans to meet with cemetery and police representatives regarding June 25th -- that became engrained back in September, when the front gates to Forest Lawn actually were closed for Michael's funeral.
On that day Glendale Blvd. was shut down to accomodate the media pool and dozens of Glendale PD were brought in to coordinate. I saw a handful of fans show up at the barriers, but the majority stayed away as they were asked to. From that perspective, it's been the media who's been unwelcome, not fans.
It's been a year of twists and turns in this story to be sure, so anything is possible between now and June 25th. But here's the thing: try to step back and consider the source of the information you're reading. What's the editorial motivation behind these types of articles? Personally, I don't believe that tabloid media churns out stories to be helpful in any sense of the word.
Most recent example? TMZ posted yet another inflammatory piece on Saturday titled MJ Fans -- Cemetery Ban Won't Stop Us. It includes sensationalized reporting that misrepresents the facts about a "ban" which makes the situation, as I know it to be, sound more heatedly dramatic than it really is.
And when readers feed into it, the pot gets stirred further. Tabloid mission accomplished!
In the meantime, I'm looking forward to seeing what Randy has to say, and taking it, one day at a time, from there.
Today was the first time I've been to Holly Terrace at Forest Lawn Glendale since the "new rules" for Michael Jackson fans have been in place. I went to document the monthly delivery of memorial items sent in from around the world.
In a nutshell, since around May 25th or thereabouts, Forest Lawn security personnel have been verbally instructing fans who visit that they are no longer allowed to congregate on the top porch where the entry doors are, but are welcome to linger on the lower porch, sidewalk and adjacent lawn.
Fans who send flowers, cards, stuffed animals and other gifts for delivery by The Official Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California as well as the original MJFSC have been abuzz on Facebook, Twitter and other MJ message boards, expressing concern that this new policy would have a negative affect on placement of their heartfelt tributes to the King of Pop.
They need not have worried. After eight months of such deliveries, Forest Lawn management understands the importance of this ritual. The June items were indeed placed at the door as usual, after which fans who made the delivery stayed in the approved areas. A few non-regulars who drifted were courteously yet firmly reminded to either move back or leave by security.
So, why the new rules? Last week Forest Lawn executives told me that they'd get back to me with official word, but that didn't happen. They didn't reveal any details to AOL Travel either, so I don't feel singularly snubbed. (Thank you to the admins at MJDreams.net and MJJNews for the link.)
Unofficially, according to Forest Lawn sources I spoke with, the main catalyst for the change in ground rules was TMZ's May 21st publication of photos of MJ's sarcophagus surrounded by Lisa Marie Presley-inspired sunflowers. I've been doing some investigation into the photographer but since I haven't had a chance to speak with that person directly for details, I'll save that for another post when I can give you first-hand quotes.
What I can tell you is that MJ fans have been in an uproar over these latest TMZ photos. Images of MJ's final resting place have long been a hot button topic since his entombment, sparking off heated debates and downright vicious catfights on the internet between those for and against, but that's a whole other Jerry Springer.
The crux of the matter is that fan anxiety has been further compounded by the fact that hundreds, if not thousands, of fans have made travel arrangements to be in Los Angeles on June 25th
to mark the first anniversary of MJ's passing. Local fans have been equally distressed. Naturally, at the top of
their agendas are plans to visit Holly Terrace to pay respects and process their grief, and most have worried that this latest incident has put that all in jeopardy.
Apparently, as of this writing, that is not the case.
Forest Lawn spokesperson Bill Martin told me last week that "nothing has been settled yet" for June 25th and that, overall, the cemetery is a private business on private property; visitors are welcome but those who don't follow the rules will be summarily removed from the premises. In other words, business as usual.
Randy Jackson recently tweeted about the matter but there's
been no updates on his page since, as of this current screen cap tonight.Update: On Friday 6/4 X17Online.com reported that Randy has met with Forest Lawn and fans will be allowed up to the door on June 25 and thereafter. Stay tuned.
Have a story to share about your own experience visiting Holly Terrace? Please leave it in the comments section at the bottom of this post's page.
Want to see more photos of the gifts left at Holly Terrace today? Click here. Or watch the companion video below.
The June video is set to Stevie Wonder's "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer" -- the song he sang at the Staples Center public memorial. I chose it in honor of Stevie's fan-witnessed visit to Holly Terrace on May 31st, when he and his children brought birthday flowers to his mother Lula Mae Hardaway who is entombed two sanctuaries over (steps away) from MJ's location.
And just how did TMZ get wind
of Stevie's visit? No one tattled. TMZ sez they monitor MJ-related
Facebook pages, where it was first revealed, then followed up with
Stevie's reps.
I've been covering Michael Jackson fan activity at Forest Lawn Glendale for several months now. That includes photographing the many handmade tributes delivered on a monthly basis to the Holly Terrace patio by the Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California on Facebook -- gifts sent from other devotees from around the world. Read more on that here.
Traditionally I create basic videos to highlight the many gorgeous, heartfelt items and post them on YouTube, but this month I experimented with using Flash technology and ran into a glitch.
The good news is that I found a great editing tool. The bad news is that the trial edition won't let me incorporate video (my main reason for wanting to master Flash skills) or post the final product to YT (I found out after finishing the piece, duh.)
Ya get what ya pay for.
Luckily, the freebie version is blog friendly so all is not lost this time around. Here's a look at the many wonderful April offerings.
Update: Thank you Amy Kimes for the Anitomo tool inspiriation! Here's a YT friendly mix of the same images:
I enjoy spending time exploring cemeteries, reading and photographing headstones of celebrities and civilians alike, and learning about the lives and deaths of these so-called "permanent residents" of the graveyards and mausoleums. This blog chronicles those experiences.
One of the cemeteries I'm most interested in these days is Grand View Memorial Park in Glendale, Calif. I wrote about its legal problems for the LA Daily News' community hub, ValleyNews.com from August 2006 to December 2008, when Valley News ceased operations. In response to reader requests to have one central source of information, I created and continue to maintain Grand View Memorial Park (dot) Info.
"We've gotten a front-row seat to all the twists and turns
taking place at the beleaguered cemetery, Grand View Memorial Park, from an intrepid citizen journalist named Lisa Burks." ~ Jason Kandel, ValleyNews.com Editor, 12/28/2006
