Michael Jackson is celebrated

Michael Jackson’s memorial at Staples Center in Los Angeles was part funeral, part concert and, well, to Costa Mesa musician Matthew Fletcher that was just strange.

“It was pretty touching, but there were some awkward moments,” said Fletcher, keyboardist for local band Satisfaction, who managed to get tickets to the event, which drew tens of thousands in and out of Staples Center.

A friend of a friend had gotten the tickets initially in the lottery, but couldn’t make the trip down from Seattle so they offered them up to Fletcher and their friends. Fletcher drove down to Dodger stadium Monday to pick them up and attended the memorial with his girlfriend, Liz Butman, who also lives in Costa Mesa.

“It was certainly very sad seeing his daughter [Paris] speak. I was hoping she wanted to speak and she wasn’t getting a finger in the back by Janet Jackson,” Fletcher said.

Jackson’s daughter told the audience, “Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father anyone could ever imagine. I just want to say I love him so much,” before she was overcome with emotion.

The public mourning, the entertainment, Jackson’s sometimes strange and historic life combined to offer up many mixed emotions, Fletcher said.

Fletcher caught himself a few times enjoying the performances of luminaries like Stevie Wonder and Lionel Richie, but then he remembered why they were there.

“I thought, ‘Wow, I’m at a really cool show, but, wait, someone died and it’s really sad,’ ” Fletcher said. “At one point there was a lady sitting next to me talking on the phone while Smokey [Robinson] was speaking and we gave her [a dirty look] and said, ‘ssshhh.’ ”

The Jackson family’s public mourning at the end was equal parts moving and odd, Fletcher said.

“If there weren’t TV cameras there would they all be on stage hugging?” Fletcher wondered. “It all felt show-bizzy, but then again why wouldn’t it be? It’s a family raised in show business.”

Irvine resident Bill Rams was similarly moved and also found himself there by happenstance.

A friend had managed to win the lottery for tickets “and he was gracious enough to let me tag along.”

Rams, a former reporter, noted he “covered many a funeral, but none executed quite like that. I was blown away by Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson and so many cool moments — Magic Johnson talking about sitting with him, eating KFC, to Berry Gordy talking about being blown away by Michael Jackson in the studio to Brooke Shields discussing the unusual nature of their friendship. It was remarkable to be a fly on that wall.”

Outside the venue, Fletcher and Rams said the mood was mellow with a remarkable saturation of news crews.

“It was a slow build-up on the street. Some people were chanting Michael’s name and dancing,” Rams said. “At times standing in line it felt like we were going into a big show, but it wasn’t quite as raucous as if it were a big show. It was more subdued once we got inside and Smokey [Robinson] did his thing. Then it was very quiet and there was a long pause. Then Mariah came out and when she finished they didn’t know what to do. It was a slow build, then a bit of an ovation. Then Queen Latifah lightened the mood and so did Magic and after [Al] Sharpton’s speech or eulogy or whatever you want to call it people were fired up. From then it was a standing ovation and raucous.”

Rams said he wasn’t a big fan of Jackson’s.

“Of course, I grew up listening to his music, but I was more into rock. But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be there... It was intimate, but also a big spectacle. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Fletcher’s affection for Jackson’s music stopped after his solo albums “Off the Wall” and “Thriller,” but those records were enough to sustain his admiration.

“Maybe I feel a little guilty that huge fans couldn’t get in and I can’t even tell you the last few albums he did,” Fletcher said.

“I felt definitely torn between enjoying a concert and mourning the loss of someone I didn’t know, but respected,” he added. “For so long he’s been this strange, iconic freak. I forget that he has a father and sons, and hearing people talk about him as a person was really touching.”

VOICES

From Tuesday’s memorial service:

“He let me know as an African American that you could travel the world — there was a world outside of America ... Michael was the biggest star on Earth.”

Queen Latifah

“From the first beat of ‘Billie Jean’ and toss of that hat I was mesmerized. When he did his iconic moonwalk I was shocked. It was magic... Michael Jackson went into orbit and never came down... I feel ‘King of Pop was not big enough for him. I think he was simply the greatest entertainer who ever lived.’ ”

Motown founder Berry Gordy on Jackson’s historic performance at the record label’s 25th anniversary special

“Michael was also a true humanitarian who gave as much on stage as he did off stage.”

Kobe Bryant

“I truly believe Michael made me a better point guard... This is a celebration of his life, of his legacy. I want to thank Michael for opening up so many doors to African Americans.”

Magic Johnson

“Seeing him smile made you feel like everything was going to be all right ... To the outside world Michael was a genius. To the people who were lucky enough to know him personally he was caring, funny, honest, pure, non-jaded, and he was a lover of life. He cared so deeply for his family and his friends and his fans. He was often referred to as the king, but the Michael I knew always reminded me more of ‘The Little Prince.’”

Brooke Shields