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TwitterParis Jackson: Emotional highlight or psychologically scarring?
Next to Brooke Shields' remembrance of her childhood friendship with the King of Pop, Michael Jackson's 11-year-old daughter Paris offered what many believed was the most heart-felt moment of the televised memorial.
Near the end of Tuesday's spectacle, Paris went on stage with her brothers Prince Michael Jr. and Prince Michael II and spoke publicly and briefly for the first time ever -- "I just wanted to say, ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him so much." -- before breaking down in tears and being led away by her aunt, Janet Jackson.
Now though, some are wondering if speaking in front of thousands in attendance and millions watching via their televisions did Paris more harm than good.
For over a decade, Michael Jackson has been careful about keeping his children out of the public eye even going so far as to make them wear carnival masks when they when walked between cars and buildings.
"To be thrust into the limelight as Paris was is potentially very traumatic," says child psychologist Linda Blair. "This is a girl who has been shielded from the media her whole life. When a child is in shock, as Paris still will be from her father's death, the most important thing is to keep everything as normal as possible. But the opposite has happened here."
Not that the definition of "normal" for the Jackson family is going to be the same as it for the average person.
Ken Erlich, a producer of the televised memorial told Entertainment Weekly, "When [the Paris moment] happened, I had asked the family to come up if they wanted to and say something. I thought, frankly, that we were going to get the brothers and the sisters. This went way beyond that, obviously."
What do you think? Did Paris speaking cross a line or make for an even-more touching good-bye?
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Zap2it Twitter Talk 
I guess I don't see anything wrong with it as long as she wasn't "forced" into doing it by the family. But if she really wanted to do it, I can't see the harm. It did seem a bit weird that they were all so worried about jamming the microphone in her face though!
HERE COMES THE TABLOIDS - starting with this ONE!!!!
That's why MJ shielded his children from the media, covered their faces so the media would not do to the children what they did to Jackson.
The veils and masks were there so that the people will not remember their faces and the children can actually go out and play with their nannies without being recognized. NOW, their lives have changed forever. The media knows who they are and the media and tabloids are going to psychologically kill the children as they did Jackson.
well if it is very traumatic to a young person why are you making it worse, zap2it :(
I don't think there was anything wrong with it, because I think it was something she wanted to do and besides its not like these children haven't already had the spotlight thrusted upon them for the last week and half.
What exactly does this article mean by "some are wondering"? I count only one source here, that of the child "pscychologist." (sic)
Who interviewed this random psychologist and why should her comment hold any weight whatsoever?
This is sloppy reporting at best, propaganda at worst.
If MJ were still alive, it might be a problem because her face is known to all, now. But I think, with her Dad's death, the limelight may fade, the paparazzi will move on to another target. Her words were from the heart and she may have regretted not saying them, later on.
I second Shannon's comments,and bring some more examples of the sloppiness with which this story was loaded. Two quotes:
"...spoke...briefly for the first ever..."
"...before breaking down in tears and being lead [sic] away..."
Okay, they're only typos, but if the story was researched as carefully as it was edited, then what we have here is not good reporting.
It was a well rehearsed act for the media & fans, a close look at the eyes of Paris, show no sign of tearing up or movement of body that is consistant with crying...well done to the Jackson family for the great job in using this child to protect Michaels reputation. Even before she spoke, she is fidgeting & putting her hanky back in her purse....no sign of any distress in this child.
I don't think there was anything wrong with it at all. This was the memorial for her father whom she loved very much, you only get that opportunity once... so if she wanted to publicly show her love for him then she of course should.
To the first person who left a reply here, they weren't jamming the mic in her face, they were adjusting it so it would work properly. To others...
It wasn't Michael who started them wearing masks, that was Debbie Rowe's request. As for the limelight fading now that Michael has died and thus the kids getting left alone... that MIGHT happen, if the kids stay out of the business. What if Paris has the desire to become a singer and dancer like her father, to continue the Jackson legacy? All bets will be off.
Nothing wrong with it, She
said what she wanted to say,
and when it was to much for
her they rushed her off the
stage. However, the media
is WRONG... They're jumping on this like hungry sharks.
Its not that Paris spoke
thats the problem..its the
media making it such a HUGE
deal that a kid told everyone
that her dad was the best and that she loves him. The
media needs to back off the
Jackson kids PERIOD.