Social networking/news website Facebook interrupted its coverage of Farrah Fawcett's passing to break the story of Michael Jackson's death, as thousands of users updated their status messages with the announcement.
"RIP MJ ILL MISS U," wrote Facebook user/reporter Jennifer Collins who was on hand at her computer at the King of Pop's time of death.
Messages from Facebook's millions of highly regarded news correspondents flooded the "News Feed" the moment the UCLA Medical Center made the death announcement official. Most were written in a solemn tone and the high level of the writing was both a testament to Jackson and the quality of reporting that Facebook is known for.
"OMG Jacko is dead," wrote Robert Alper, whose profile picture had been changed to a picture of Macaulay Culkin. "I want you back."
Many of the website's columnists were quick to offer their editorial opinion. The articles were posted immediately, raising the question of whether or not they were written beforehand in anticipation of the devastating event.
"I love Michael," Zak Richmond wrote in his column, which was so eloquent it had to have been written weeks ago. "I've changed my ringtone to 'You Are Not Alone'."
Not all Facebook journalists were as respectful, offering crude jokes instead of tributes.
"I wonder if he'll invite little boys to sleep with him in his coffin ha ha aha ha ha!" some asshole wrote.
Articles such as this were not well-received by the legions of Facebook readers.
"Totally inappropriate," said one disgusted fan as they uploaded pictures to an album titled "My cat is cute."
Many users of the site who had not updated their statuses were grateful for the "News Feed" to inform them of Jackson's death.
"Thank God I checked Facebook," said user Ryan Behl, who also used the site to follow its coverage of the riots in Iran. "Facebook's reporting is far superior to Twitter's."
Facebook has promised regular updates from its top reporters over the next few hours. At least until someone else dies.
-Dan Abramson, thehollywoodham.com