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My Opinion: Michael Jackson's Grave (VIDEO)
Michael Jackson's life has always been a contradiction of outlandish oddity and pinpoint perfection. Now in death, with the unknown location of his body, the enigma continues. It's Hollywood's real life "Where's Waldo," but unless the family is into inflicting undue pain on itself, I am almost certain he is in his final resting place, and I have found its location.
Driving east along Wilshire Boulevard -- just as you drive under the notorious 405 freeway, you enter Westwood Village. Westwood is one of LA's oldest enclaves. It's the enduring home to shops, grand movie theatres, medical buildings, federal offices, and UCLA. During the seventies and eighties -- and especially during the 1984 Olympics, Westwood was the place to go because Hollywood had become too decrepit for any wide-eyed wandering.
Nestled in Westwood Village among the office buildings and condos that line Wilshire Blvd., {Pierce Brothers} Westwood Memorial Park is the end of the road for scores of Hollywood's elite and the well heeled. Located on LA's fashionable west side, directly behind the AVCO movie theatre and an office building, the cemetery, founded in 1904, boasts a roster of stars that -- even in death, any agent would love to represent. Archie Bunker himself Mr. Carroll O'Connor, Dean Martin, Donna Reed, Natalie Wood, Truman Capote, Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe are all among those interred at this peaceful, pleasant park. Recently the grand dame of the fighting spirit Farrah Fawcett was interred next to Merv Griffin's final resting place -- bound together for a Los Angeles eternity.
Arguably America's most pricey land at hundreds of thousands of dollars for a "bench estate" to over one million dollars for a "family estate," it's still all virtually free when averaged out over an eternity. Westwood has no dark, Gothic headstones mostly just flush mauve marble memorials of those wealthy ones who have left their mark on the world.
When I first heard of Jackson's death in Los Angeles (officially at UCLA), I thought Westwood Memorial was the only cemetery worthy of the kind of fan traffic and star power he will undoubtedly draw in death. Over the last days, I've been bicycling out to the Westwood cemetery to see if any recent additions have been made to her well-heeled legions of the dead.
Lo and behold between Monday night and Wednesday morning a new grave was opened and closed, and absolutely no one at the place would answer my questions about who is buried there. Look, I could be wrong, but I it all makes sense. Elizabeth Taylor's mother Sara is nearby -- it's public knowledge Taylor will spend eternity herself here one day. The place is small and secure. They've handled Marilyn Monroe's millions of visitors over the decades, security cameras abound and barbed wire contains the manageably sized hallowed grounds.
Even on the chance I'm wrong, in time all will be exposed, even if the family remains secretive on the final resting place. (Roy Orbison and Frank Zappa headstones have never been identified at Westwood). It is certain Jackson's legions of fans will find his plot to visit and pay their respects, Neverland seems too lonely -- too far away, too broken, and potentially too commercial for Michael Jackson's soft, secretive demure life.
Enough of this frenetic death hunt for me. I've done my Jimmy Olsen sleuthing. It's time to put into action the lesson that death teaches all of us and get back to the living while I still have some time.
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I just hope that wherever he is, whether here or somewhere else, that he's finally at peace.
No public viewing, stashed coffin at Gordy's crypt, secret burial. Michael Jackson continues to toss pizza shells in the metro St. Louis area.
Outlandish oddity? You should be ashamed of yourself. You have no Idea what his life was like. This is someone's son, brother, cousin, uncle, friend and father. There was nothing odd about MJ.
He had a hard enough time in life being misunderstood so let's just hope that he is now resting in peace in such a peaceful setting.
Michael Jackson should be buried where Michael Jackson would want to be buried. Somewhere in peace. If that's Westwood Memorial Park, so be it!
The world public would definitely want to visit a Michael Jackson memorial/museum/amusement park somewhere.
He doesn't have to be buried there!
It would be nice to have a memorial pond (koi fish!) to throw coins in for good wishes. Michael's face would be in a relief carved in stone at the back of the pond.
How about a giant bronze statue of Michael Jackson in his youth near the entrance to the park? And another of him around '94 further up the drive.
The memorial museum amusement park could showcase the pop-cultural as well as the humanitarian aspects of his life. Michael's efforts to help hunger, etc could be educational and some proceeds could help a sponsored charity. Also it seems important to talk about the social context of Michael, his songs and the effect of his fame/music/persona on race relations, etc.
There will be a flood of books coming to the market place soon enough from family members, doctors, nannies, body guards, house keepers, etc. Somebody will eventually tell where MJ is buried, only to be contradicted by somebody else.
Perhaps there should be a permanent Michael Jackson memorial site and museum along the lines of Graceland. The museum could generate millions of dollars to continue MJ's humanitarian work.
Perhaps that is what Germaine plans to do.
he should be cremeted and leave the man alone in peace. his life was tamulchuous to begin with leave him in peace in his eternity.
very interesting...
I hope he IS buried in this lovely, unassuming plot which will one day be near his beloved Elizabeth.
Unfortunately Joe and Jermaine seem determined to make money off MJ by turning Neverland (a place Michael came to detest) into their own personal ATM. I wouldn't put it past those two vultures to claim he WAS buried at Neverland even he if he's not. And isn't it telling that they are the only family members constantly giving interviews since his death? Shameful and disgusting !
You do know WHY its being kept a secret, don't you?
No cemetary in their right mind would want the contend with thousands of *crazies* turnining the place into a tourist trap.Like that Parisian cemetary that has to contend with Doors fans scrawling graffitti around Jim Morrison's grave for the past 38(!) years.
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