Televised Memorial Service for Music Icon Michael Jackson Held at Staples Center in Los Angeles

Jackson's memorial was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, preceded by a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty. Over 1.6 million fans applied for tickets to the memorial; the 8,750 recipients were drawn at random, and each received two tickets. The memorial service was one of the most watched events in streaming history, with an estimated US audience of 31.1 million and a worldwide audience of an estimated 2.5 to 3 billion. Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson, and Shaheen Jafargholi performed at the memorial, and Smokey Robinson and Queen Latifah gave eulogies. Al Sharpton received a standing ovation with cheers when he told Jackson's children: 'Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it anyway.' Jackson's 11-year-old daughter Paris also spoke at the memorial as she addressed the crowd. Lucious Smith provided a closing prayer.