The Popcorn Reel

Photo by Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com.  Copyright 2009.  All Rights Reserved.
The scene on Hollywood Boulevard near Highland Avenue last Friday outside the Grumann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, a day after the
untimely death of Michael Jackson.  (Photo: Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com)


OBSERVATIONS
On Hollywood Boulevard, Respecting And Remembering A Mega Legend
By Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com     SHARE
Monday, June 29, 2009

HOLLYWOOD, California --

The Walk of Fame on the Avenue of The Stars on Hollywood Boulevard here late last week was strangely both busy and not so at the same time, with tourists and locals alike populating this stretch of road which contains the El Capitan Theater, from which comedian Jimmy Kimmel hosts his late-night TV talk show, Grumann's Chinese Theater and the Kodak Theater, now-perennial home of the Academy Awards.  There were stars on portions of the boulevard sidewalk which were hardly traversed.  Ed McMahon's star had three daffodils laid on it, and all pedestrians on this hot day in Hollywood were careful not to trample them, even though few people walked near or past it. 

Diagonally across the street from Mr. McMahon's lonely star was Michael Jackson's. 

It, by contrast, had plenty of company. 

Flowers, flags, messages, portraits and any number of get wells accompanied Mr. Jackson's star.  Hundreds lined up along barricades and waited patiently in the heat of an early summer morning to get a glimpse of the impromptu shrine set up at Mr. Jackson's star.  A star adjacent to the King Of Pop was bare by comparison, almost willfully ignored, it seemed.  "He's not getting any love today," cited one press photographer cheekily.  Nobody could deny it.  The stars next door to Mr. Jackson's were bereft of company.

Media news trucks had front row seats, parked up against the sidewalk just outside the Chinese Theater, where tributes to Mr. Jackson adorned his star.

Last Friday on the Boulevard cars slowed to a halt to catch a glimpse of the emerging shrine on Michael Jackson's star, which the day before just happened to be covered up by equipment and barricades for the "Bruno" movie premiere, which went ahead despite the news of Mr. Jackson's abrupt death about five hours prior.  (Fans had temporarily laid tributes on the radio talk show personality Michael Jackson's star as an alternative.)  Sounds of Mr. Jackson's music could be heard on the street, including at select restaurants from here to Beverly Hills, specifically at Fu Palace, which on the day of Mr. Jackson's death quietly played his music non-stop.

Copyright The Popcorn Reel.  PopcornReel.com.  2009.  All Rights Reserved.
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