Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder and Usher sang emotional farewells Tuesday to Michael Jackson, who was hailed as "the greatest entertainer that ever lived" and described by his tearful 11-year-old daughter Paris as "the best father you could ever imagine."

Some 18,000 fans, family members and friends took part in a public memorial for Jackson in the Los Angeles sports arena where the singer had rehearsed the day before his death for a highly anticipated series of comeback concerts.

Jackson's brothers, each wearing a single sequined glove in homage to his signature look, carried the singer's golden casket into the downtown Staples Center.

Carey performed Jackson's 1970 ballad "I'll Be There," Usher's voice cracked as he sang "Gone Too Soon" and the King of Pop's three children made a rare public appearance without veils used for years by Jackson to shield them from the media.

But it was Jackson himself who loomed larger than life, shown in old concert footage, music videos and news clips, singing, dancing his moonwalk and surrounded by adoring crowds.

"The more I think about Michael, and talk about Michael, the more I think that 'King of Pop' is not good enough," said Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, who signed The Jackson 5 to a recording contract in 1968. "I think he is simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived."

The two-hour memorial focused on Jackson's musical achievements, overshadowed in the last 10 years by the darker side of the singer's life, including his humiliating 2005 trial and acquittal on charges of child sex abuse.

Jackson's sudden death from cardiac arrest in Los Angeles on June 25 at the age of 50 stunned fans across the world and sent sales of his biggest hits from albums such as "Thriller" and "Off the Wall" back to the top of music charts.

President Barack Obama, on a visit to Russia, said he was "one of the greatest entertainers of our generation, perhaps any generation," and added: "I think like Elvis, like Sinatra, like The Beatles, he became a core part of our culture.

The memorial focused on Jackson's 45-year musical career in which he was awarded 13 Grammys, his charity work for childrens' groups and his role in opening the mainstream pop and celebrity world to African-Americans.

It was broadcast live on U.S. national TV networks and Internet company Akamai, which handles 20 percent of the world's Web traffic, said it was the most widely viewed event on the Web since the inauguration of Obama in January.

Gordy was among the few who referred obliquely to Jackson's recent troubles. "Sure there was some sad times and maybe some questionable decisions on his part, but Michael Jackson accomplished everything he dreamed of," said Gordy.

"NOTHING STRANGE" ABOUT DADDY

Jackson was on the eve of a comeback after his career collapsed in the 1990s. The exact cause of his death is still awaiting toxicology results amid reports of abuse of prescription drugs, including the powerful narcotic Diprivan.

Civil rights leader Al Sharpton, who has lashed out at media coverage of the bizarre aspects of Jackson's life, had a message for the singer's three children.

"Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with," he said.

The children, Prince Michael, 12, Paris and Prince Michael, 7, joined the family on stage for a mass chorus of Jackson's inspirational hits "We Are the World" and "Heal the World."

Paris, in tears, took the microphone to say: "Ever since I was born my daddy has been the best father you can ever imagine and I just wanted to say I love him, so much."

Jackson's family and close friends held a brief private ceremony earlier Tuesday at a Los Angeles cemetery before the memorial and were reported afterwards to have gathered at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

But the destination of the singer's body remained unknown with speculation that he could yet be laid to rest at his beloved ranch, Neverland, in central California.

Police had estimated more than 250,000 people would gather at the arena but the orderly crowds were much smaller than expected.

Police, security, escorts and sanitation for the memorial are expected to cost cash-strapped Los Angeles city council nearly $4 million and the city council Tuesday launched a website asking for fans to make donations toward the costs.

Michael Jackson's death certificate has been released without a listed cause of death and a coroner said investigators are still testing the singer's brain.

Public health officials issued the death certificate on Tuesday, the same day public and private memorials were held in Los Angeles. The cause of death is listed as "deferred."

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said Jackson's brain, or at least part of it, was still being held by investigators and would be returned to the family for interment once neuropathology tests were completed.

"As soon as we are done with the brain, we will return it," Winter said. "There is a whole series of tests that will be done."

It is not uncommon for the coroner to hold on to a brain or samples from it. Winter said families sometimes delay burying a loved one until after the brain has been returned, but he had received no word from the Jackson family about their intentions.

"The last I heard, they are not burying the body yet," Winter said.

Police and coroner's officials continue to probe what killed the 50-year-old singer on June 25.

On the certificate, Jackson's occupation is listed as a musician. He is described as a high school graduate and divorced. The information provided for the document was given by Jackson's sister, La Toya, one of several family members who rushed to the hospital where Jackson was pronounced dead.

The document doesn't state where Jackson will be buried.

About 20,000 people gathered inside the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday for a somber, spiritual ceremony, watched by millions more around the world.

Crowds gathered outside Harlem's Apollo Theater in New York to soak it in. In Santiago, Chile, national police band played "We Are the World" during the traditional guard change at the presidential palace. About 50 fans lit candles and laid flowers in the main square in Stockholm, as "Billie Jean" and "Earth Song" poured out of a small stereo.

In London, dozens of fans stood under umbrellas in the rain as they watched the event on a big screen outside the 02 Arena, where Jackson was to have performed 50 comeback shows starting next week. Many more stayed dry at home after the BBC announced it would cancel scheduled programming and show the ceremony live.

Calculating just how many people in total watched the ceremony — around the world and across all platforms — will take several days and even then will likely be an approximation, given the huge variety of outlets.

At the ceremony, a star-studded lineup of performers closely linked to Jackson's life and music remembered the King of Pop as an unparalleled singer, dancer and humanitarian whose music united people of all backgrounds.

Outside, more than 3,000 police officers massed downtown to keep the ticketless at bay. Helicopters followed the golden casket as it was driven over blocked-off freeways from Forest Lawn cemetery to the Staples Center. Movie theaters played the service live.

Inside, however, the atmosphere was churchlike, assisted by an enormous video image of a stained-glass window with red-gold clouds blowing past that was projected behind the stage.

The Rev. Lucious W. Smith of the Friendship Baptist Church in Pasadena gave the greeting, standing on the same stage where Jackson had been rehearsing for a comeback concert before his death at age 50.

The ceremony ended with Jackson's family on stage, amid a choir singing "Heal the World."

Deficit-ridden Los Angeles asked Jackson fans to help pay the bill for police and other public servants needed for the entertainer's memorial service.

A Web site was posted Tuesday seeking donations to cover the costs, estimated at between $1.5 million and $4 million, according to Matt Szabo, a spokesman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

But Jack Kyser, founding economist of the Kyser Center for Economic Research of the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, estimates the city could rake in $4 million from the event, thanks to the throng of media and other visitors who stayed at hotels, ate at restaurants and shopped in Los Angeles.

Kyser believes the city also got a major image boost because the memorial service went off without any major problems. "This thing went off very smoothly," Kyser said. "I think you had some good exposure for downtown and for the entire city."

Dermatologist says singer danced in his office 3 days before his death

LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson's dermatologist said he had sedated the pop star in the past for painful medical procedures but had never given him dangerous sedatives like Propofol to use.

"I was not one of the doctors who participated in giving him overdoses of drugs or too much of anything," Dr. Arnold Klein said in an interview that aired Wednesday on ABC's "Good Morning America." "In fact, I was the one who limited everything, who stopped everything."

Investigators looking into the cause of Jackson's death have honed in on drugs that were administered to the insomniac musician. The powerful sedative Diprivan, also known as Propofol and usually administered by anesthesiologists in hospitals, was found in Jackson's home, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person wasn't authorized to comment about the matter

Any drugs he used with Jackson were on very mild levels, Klein said. "How am I going to prescribe Diprivan when I don't know how to use it?" he said.

Klein said he saw Jackson three days before he died on June 25. In response to rumors that the musician was dangerously thin at the time of his death, Klein said he saw nothing to make him worry.

"He danced in my office," he said. "He danced for my patients."

Klein also said that Jackson was “at the hands of plastic surgeons who didn’t know when to stop” and that the singer viewed his face as a piece of art.

Klein said he was always concerned about Jackson because he knew that whatever he wanted, he could always find someone to give it to him.

The saga surrounding Jackson's death will continue past Tuesday's memorial service in Los Angeles, watched by millions around the world.

Despite the presence of stars like Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey and Kobe Bryant, the emotional speech by Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, Paris, was the memorial's most heart-tugging moment. NBC's TODAY show replayed portions of it three times in its first eight minutes Wednesday. (Msnbc.com is a joint venture between NBC and Microsoft.)

"Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father I could imagine," Paris said, dissolving into tears and turning into the arms of her aunt Janet Jackson. "I just want to say I love him so much."

Custody of Jackson's three children is one of the biggest legal issues still unresolved. In his 2002 will, Jackson made his wishes clear — his three children should remain under the care of his mother, Katherine.

Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of Paris and her 12-year-old brother, Prince Michael, has indicated she may seek custody. The surrogate mother of Jackson's youngest child, 7-year-old Prince Michael II, is unknown. A custody hearing was scheduled for Monday.

As the world paused to remember Jackson, authorities released his death certificate, which did not list a cause of death. The official determination will likely wait until toxicology results are completed, which could be weeks away.

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said Jackson's brain, or at least part of it, was still being held by investigators and would be returned to the family for interment once neuropathology tests were completed.

Jackson's final resting place was another unknown. Permission is needed to bury him at his former home, Neverland Ranch. A private memorial was held at a cemetery in the Hollywood Hills that is the resting place of many stars, but it does not appear Jackson will be buried among them.

Then there's Jackson's money. He died deeply in debt, but left an estate potentially worth $500 million and his enduring star power with its tremendous earning potential.

Jackson's financial adviser, Tohme Tohme, said on TODAY that he had fired Jackson staff members in an effort to get the star's finances untangled.

"I saw that there was a lot of money being wasted and a lot of people taking advantage of the situation," Tohme said.

He said Jackson didn't appear to care about money. "He said, ‘It's your department, not mine.'"

Former Sony Music chairman and CEO Tommy Mottola has said Jackson left dozens of songs that included newer material and leftover works from some of his biggest albums. Mottola predicted the potential playlist was bigger than the one left behind by Elvis Presley.

The singer also left behind an elaborate production dubbed "The Dome Project," which could be Jackson's last complete video piece. Little is publicly known about the production, but its existence has been confirmed by two knowledgeable sources who spoke to The Associated Press on condition they not be identified because they signed confidentiality agreements.

There also is more than 100 hours of footage of preparations for his London concerts, which were canceled because of his death. Randy Phillips, president and CEO of concert promoter AEG Live, said last week the company also has enough material for two live albums.

Bags of pills and other medicines were seized from Michael Jackson's rented mansion yesterday as his personal physician continued to insist that the singer had not taken an overdose.

Dr Conrad Murray's lawyer Edward Chernoff said his client was "ruling out" an overdose as cause of death based on what he knew of Jackson's final hours.

But speculation over the role of medication in the singer's demise was further fuelled after coroners investigating the death were seen removing two bags of pharmaceutical drugs from Jackson's home.

Assistant chief coroner Ed Winter said the substances were being seized following information from the police investigation and questions raised by the coroner's office.

But he declined to say what the drugs were or the quantities involved.

Mr Chernoff told CNN that his client believed that Jackson's death was not the result of medication.

"From what we know we are ruling out an overdose," he said.

Asked if it was possible that Jackson could have taken drugs not prescribed by the doctor, Mr Chernoff replied: "I suppose it is possible, but Dr Murray was there that night and he did not see him take Demerol or OxyContin or any other pills that would have cased these problems."

A full toxicology report from the coroner's examination is weeks away from being returned. Meanwhile the family of the dead pop star is continuing to wait for the results of a second private post mortem they ordered themselves.

Joe Jackson, the singer's father, said he was waiting to find out what happened to his son before announcing details of his funeral.

But Mr Jackson said the funeral will not be closed to the public.

Dr Murray faced further questions yesterday after it emerged that it took up to half an hour for paramedics to be called to the house.

Representatives for the physician said the delay was due to the doctor's unfamiliarity of his location and a lack of land line telephone.

"He didn't know where he was, didn't know the physical address," Matt Alford of the law firm representing Dr Murray said.

He added: "There was no land line, no phone in Jackson's room that would have allowed him to call. It was all happening so fast."

It was only when Dr Murray found the singer's chef who contacted a security guard that emergency assistance was called for.

In further developments yesterday, Michael Jackson's mother won temporary custody of his three children today.

The children - Prince Michael, 12; Paris Michael, 11; and Prince Michael II, 7 - will now stay with the Jackson family at least until a further hearing on August 3.

Katherine Jackson filed papers at the Los Angeles Superior Court.

It was also reported that Mrs Jackson filed a second court action looking to take control of her son's estate.

The Jacksons' lawyer Londell McMillan said the family had not yet heard from Deborah Rowe, the mother of the two elder children. The youngest son was born to a surrogate mother.

The singer's father has stated that looking after the children was the family's "first priority".

It is not known if Ms Rowe intends to contest the petition.

Under Californian law, biological parents are given priority in custodial cases. But a court can rule against them if it is decided that it would be detrimental to the children involved.

FOLLOWING the death of Michael Jackson for any of at least any of these five reasons, we wonder what next for the resting star, and how long before we read about the real reasons Michael Jackson died?

Five things to look out for in the post-Michael Jackson media:

1. The Lovers

You can’t libel the dead so here’s to men and women and children and pets that can communicate through pet psychics coming forward to say that Jackson loved them and how this child is his. Look out for the first media interview with Jordy Chandler.

2. The Conspiracy.

No-one in Hollywood ever dies – they just open a new chapter on their lives. In death, unlike in life, the star’s narrative is able to move as fast as the media wants it to. Every day can hold a new sensation –

* Jackson found on moon!

* Jackson made lover to me on his Big Dipper!

* Jackson wanted to join the Taliban!

* Jackson bought engagement ring for Susan Boyle.

* Jackson did not like Angelina Jolie.

Anna Nicole Smith has already been introduced into the narrative.

3. REST IN PEACE!

The Leave Michael Jackson alone and honour his memory consortium of carers, nodding heads and they “that knew him best” holding up huge loud hailers and demanding that JACKSON BE LEFT TO REST IN PEACE!

4. Blanket Coverage

Question the parentage of his children. Already the BBC’s man looking over footage of a hospital in LA says that Jackson “acquired” his last child. Not sired. Acquired.

5. Jackson Lives!

Spotting Jacko – with so many Jackson look-alikes – a job that’s akin to hitting a moving target – an industry in Jackson spotting can evolve. Like Elvis, Jackson can be everywhere. And because of his changing face, he can look like pretty much anything.

MICHAEL Jackson has died without his nose on. This news is brought to you by CCN - Celebrity Cancer News - Anorak’s media alert system that keeps you news vultures on top of doom and gloom.

As many news in LA Reports:

Entertainment Tonight is running and distributing what’s billed as Michael Jackson’s final photo, which is slightly misleading as it depicts Jacko’s lifeless corpse being wheeled into UCLA Medical Center. A study of the photo reveals one detail that’s yet to be commented on: Michael Jackson is missing the tip of his nose.

With his many plastic surgeries, Jacko did much damage to the cartilege in his nose and was rumoured to use putty or a prosthetic to replace the destroyed end of his schnozz (in fact, during a dance move in a 2001 concert in Madison Square Garden, Jacko supposedly flicked the nose tip into the second row).

It appears that the tip was lost as paramedics worked valiantly to get his heart started, perhaps in a kiss of life.