Hollywood stars joined family, friends and fans from across the nation in bidding farewell to Michael Jackson today in a public memorial service in Los Angeles that featured emotional tributes to the man they hailed as the world's greatest entertainer.
The star-studded memorial extravaganza at the Staples Center followed a private funeral service attended by Jackson's family and friends at a Hollywood Hills cemetery this morning.
"Michael was the biggest star on earth," one of the speakers, Queen Latifah, told the audience of about 20,000 people in the Staples Center from a stage overlooking Jackson's golden, flower-covered casket. Tributes such as hers were interspersed with musical performances by stars including Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder and Jennifer Hudson.
