The Image Photo Booth at the Michael Jackson memorial
By the Image Staff
At the Staples Center memorial service for Michael Jackson, the crowd came dressed to mourn, to remember, to celebrate and to honor the power of simple touches a fedora, a glove to shape an indelible image.
Ricky Reza,12, of Santa Barbara came with his dad, Daniel Savala, and says he is a huge fan of Jackson’s music.
The faces on T-shirts reflected every stage of the stars career, and some were pulled from closets rather than the abundant displays of vendors Olivia Stone of Los Angeles was one who declared that the Thriller-era shirt she wore, accessorized with bright hair and a boater, was vintage.
Kelly Hagen, 30, of Santa Monica had her iPod playing Michael Jackson as she and her friend Ashley Scott danced most of the day.
Among the contingent who dress and perform as Michael Jackson, an attitude of respect prevailed costumes were donned outside, for the crowds and cameras. Inside the service, there was only one King of Pop.
Goward Horton, 28, of Los Angeles calls himself an impersonator and a huge fan of Michael Jackson.
Olivia Stone, 26, of Los Angeles says her Michael Jackson T-shirt is vintage, unlike most of the shirts that were being sold around the security perimeter.
Bostonian Latasha Dobson, 27, booked her ticket for L.A. before registering for tickets to the memorial, learning she had won only a couple of hours before her flight out Sunday night. She had planned to stand outside and just be part of the atmosphere around the memorial.
Darla Custer, 51, who attended the memorial with a friend, says she has had this shirt for more than 20 years and her favorite song is “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing).”
Angeleno Jules Sanchez, 33, a.k.a. “Michael Fatson,” calls himself an entertainer, performing Michael Jackson’s music. He attended the memorial but says he didn’t wear his costume out of respect for the family.
Nahima Kensie, 21, of Long Beach had a Michael Jackson T-shirt covering her seven-month-pregnant belly and came to the memorial with her son, Keyon Kensie Jr., 5.
Chris Escobar, 17, of Beaumont says he’s known as “the Michael Jackson guy” at school. Before entering Staples Center, he gave a quick dance performance.
Astrid Chavez, 26, of Mexico City flew to L.A. without a ticket to the memorial. She spent the day before asking for one at Dodger Stadium and later went to the El Rey Theatre, where some tickets were given away 30 minutes before the memorial.
Scorpio, 38, right, of Inglewood has been performing as Jackson for 15 years. He was joined by one of his dancers, Boppin’ Ron. Scorpio attended the memorial but says he dressed up as the late singer only after the service out of respect for the Jackson family.