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Several people in the entertainment world have died since my last column, but the public's reaction to two have me especially puzzled.

One was a World War II fighter pilot with a record of heroism and bravery, who after his discharge voluntarily re-enlisted to fly missions in the Korean War. He had a self-deprecating sense of humor, and entertained generations of Americans late at night in a manner that was never offensive or ostentatious.

The other invited children to sleep with him, was charged with child molestation, held his infant child out over the railing of a balcony far above a busy street, was addicted to prescription drugs and cosmetic surgery, and was a narcissist of the first order.

Which one do you think is getting all the attention, and is even having scarce public resources wasted on his funeral?

Ed McMahon was the fighter pilot and sidekick to Johnny Carson. For years he laughed with us at himself, and fit in his role like a foot in a comfortable old shoe.

He was modest and self-effacing about his distinguished military record. He belonged to a generation that saved the world from tyranny then chose to get on with their lives after the war without thumping their chests looking for credit.

Ed McMahon was a great American. His death merited a couple paragraphs on page A8.

Michael Jackson, however, was incapable of staying out of the public eye. Unquestionably, he was a rare musical talent, but for the last 10 plus years, his publicity has been the result of his aberrant and deviant behavior, not because of his musical genius.

Am I the only one who cannot forget the tales of his luring young children to his ranch with promises of roller coaster rides, cotton candy and giraffes, only to have these kids end up in his bed?

It seems that Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and his superstar friends have conveniently forgotten these things, as they can't wait to get on TV and make a buck off of Michael Jackson's demise.

Trust me, as soon as the headlines and TV appearances end, these money-grubbing hypocrites will quickly forget Michael Jackson.

And what about his so-called "memorial" at the Staples Center in Los Angeles? That was not a funeral service; it was a concert. How much do you think the DVD is going to cost?

But what upsets me most is that California, which is on the verge of default, and the City of Los Angeles are footing the bill for crowd control, traffic management and security.

L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is asking Michael Jackson fans to offset the estimated $4 million to cover such costs, but Los Angeles should take a lesson from the City of Frederick, which sends officials at the Great Frederick Fair a bill for the extra police they require every year.

I wonder how much Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and his superstar friends would be willing to contribute.

Something is wrong with our society when we can be fixated for two weeks over the death of someone who was a great singer and dancer, but did more harm than good to society with his personal actions.

If Jackson family members want to preserve his legacy, they should pay off all his debts with all the millions that will be generated by his estate, and give his children the childhood that he was robbed of.

I do not think he ever sexually molested children, but I would have never condoned or allowed any of my children to sleep in his bed.

The truth of the matter is if it was not for his musical genius and his money, society would have never tolerated his unacceptable actions.

I'll be raising my glass to honor Ed McMahon, someone who fought to preserve my right to write columns such as this.