Outside the Michael Jackson Memorial

Today Downtown LA was rumbling with the memorial to Michael Jackson, so I spent a little time sketching over by the Staples Center, trying to capture and share a glimpse of what was taking place.

Although the ceremony area was (wisely) blocked off, the city blocks around there were full of people hoping to catch a glimpse, dancing, videotaping, selling things-- even one guy protesting the use of tax money to help hold the memorial (he wasn't very popular).

JJ was pointing out today how almost everyone has at least one memory attached to one of Michael Jackson's songs-- and it made me think, someone who touched so many lives also spent so much of his life struggling for acceptance by the world around him. Interesting how, now that he's passed on, the world has reacted with a mixture of grief, celebration, jeers, profiteering, and a delayed chorus of appreciation for his music... everywhere you passed today, Michael Jackson was playing on the radio.

Update: these were featured on iReport! Wowza!