Scores of curious passers-by trickled into a sports bar in downtown Washington, shocked to see news of Michael Jackson's death flash across the massive TV screens instead of Thursday's sports events.

The reactions varied from wide-eyed disbelief to sheer despair until the management started playing some of Jackson's greatest hits. Suddenly the mood turned dramatically, became almost celebratory, as some people held hands and began singing Remember The Time from his hit album Dangerous.