Forest Lawn It Is

Usedcarsalesman exited the 134W freeway today at the Forest Lawn Dr Exit because he was trying to reach a commercial destination in Toluca Lake. 

He then proceeded up Forest Lawn Drive past the entrance to Griffith Park on his left and further along past the entrance of Mt. Sinai Memorial Park.  Then he rounded the bend and suddenly he saw TV media trucks -- not one or two, but probably enough to fill the lot of a large truck dealership in Southern California.   And all were seemingly in operation with their roof-top dishes pointed south-ward.  

At first Usedcarsalesman thought maybe the backside of the Hollywood Hills had experienced a heavy- duty forest fire.  But he didn't see helicopters dropping flame retardant chemicals or otherwise see any evidence of firemen, fire-trucks or hoses.

Though It took a couple of seconds, Usedcarsalesman finally deduced what all this media activity was probably about.  He was near a cemetery, "Forest Lawn Cemetery."  And who, of course was the very famous American Pop Artist who died so recently?

As Usedcarsalesman confirmed later that day,it was in fact Michael Jackson who was being laid to rest at Forest Lawn, apparently on July 7.  So all the media hardware was apparently there in anticipation of this event.   

Still, Usedcarsalesman was somewhat alarmed by what he was gazing upon.  And it wasn't because of the media trucks or the legions of people sitting outside the gate.  It was because Jackson's burial was at Forest Lawn itself.  

Now Usedcarsalesman isn't knocking Forest Lawn, but he is knocking its neighbor in the immediate vicinity:  a giant 4-6 square mile "armpit" of mud-bog real-estate presumably owned by Warner Bros (Correction, July 27:  Usedcarsalesman found out that this land is in development as part of a public works project) 

Usedcarsalesman, unfortunately had to witness as said "armpit" sat mostly muddy and treeless for the past 5 years! 

Now sure Forest Lawn Cemetery itself is probably very nice and Usedcarsalesman will have to visit the grounds sometime.  But he also has reason to suspect that when he gets up on its nice grassy, tomb-stone studded hills, he'll turn to face north and the view of the Warner Bros mud-bog/armpit will be magnificently G&d Awful!

If he could have, Usedcarsalesman would have said to Michael Jackson: "Mike, why not get buried at Neverland?  We could probably tweak the zoning for you if we passed a little cash around to the pols running in Santa Barbara's local elections... Or heck Mike, why not just go "old-school" and take the "dirt nap" at Hollywood Forever Cemetery?  That place is class and it has no bad views plus lots of nice things -- trees and so forth -- growing to obscure the main roadway.  And, hey  plenty of Hollywood celebs are buried there, too!"  

But Jackson went with Forest Lawn.  And maybe he was right.  After all he is kicking it there with Rick James which is pretty cool