Hundreds of millions of fans were preparing to bid an emotional farewell to Michael Jackson Tuesday as Los Angeles braced for a star-studded memorial to the tragic "King of Pop."

Nearly two weeks after the death of the iconic singer, America is expected to grind to a standstill as devotees gather to celeberate Jackson's life and times in a glittering, celebrity-fueled send-off.

Jackson's family and close friends are to attend a private funeral service for the star at 8:00 am (1500 GMT) at the picturesque Forest Lawn mortuary nestled in the Hollywood Hills above Los Angeles.

Reports early Tuesday said Jackson's body -- resting in a 25,000-dollar gold-plated casket -- would then be transported to the lavish public memorial at the 20,000-capacity Staples Center starting at 10:00 am (1700 GMT).

It was not clear where Jackson's body would be taken after the memorial.

A staggering 1.6 million people applied to win free tickets for the service, which were allocated via an online lottery over the weekend.

Precise details of the service have been kept under wraps but organizers have confirmed that Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey and Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson were among the stars due to participate.

"It is going to be an extraordinary event, one that people will remember their whole lives," Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine said Tuesday just hours ahead of the event.

An additional 1,400 police officers will be on duty to provide security, while city blocks surrounding the venue have been sealed off.

Organizers have appealed to ticketless fans to watch the event on television, fearing chaos if hundreds of thousands take to the streets.

A live feed of the service is being made available free to television networks, while the event will also be streamed via social networking websites Facebook and MySpace, officials said.

Excitement was building around the world, as fans gathered to sing Jackson's greatest hits and watch his famous music videos ahead of the event.

In Tokyo, hundreds of fans flocked to Tower Records in the fashionable Shibuya shopping district for a series of free viewings of Jackson's videos.

In Australia, fans in Melbourne were expected to brave both the pre-dawn darkness and icy temperatures to watch the memorial on a giant television screen set up in the city's central plaza, Federation Square.

US President Barack Obama meanwhile told CNN in an interview from Russia said Jackson was "one of the greatest entertainers of our generation."

"I think like Elvis, like (Frank) Sinatra, like the Beatles, he became a core part of our culture," Obama said, acknowledging the "tragedy" that was a part of the singer's life.

"His extraordinary talent and his music was matched with a big dose of tragedy, and difficulty in his private life," Obama said. "I don't think we can ignore that, but it's important for us to affirm what was best in him."

Jackson sold more than 750 million albums during a four-decade career that was ultimately overshadowed by repeated allegations of child abuse, his startling physical transformation and eccentric behavior.

While all eyes are on Jackson's memorial Tuesday, both local and federal law enforcement agencies continue to probe the circumstances of his death.

An autopsy was carried out on Jackson's body the day after his death, but the Los Angeles County Coroner's office has said it will not issue a final cause of death for "several weeks" when the results of exhaustive toxicology tests are known.

Police investigators are examining the possibility that drugs played a role in Jackson's death.

US media, citing unidentified law enforcement sources, said investigators had found the powerful sedative Propofol, also known as Diprivan, in a "mini-pharmacy" at Jackson's home.

The discovery has raised the stakes in the probe, which widened last week as the Los Angeles Police Department enlisted the support of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

Propofol is commonly used in hospitals to induce unconsciousness in patients before major surgery. Healthcare experts say it should never be used at home and should only be administered by trained anesthesiologists.

Lawyers meanwhile are busy untangling the labyrinth of legal issues that have emerged in the aftermath of Jackson's death.

On Monday, a Los Angeles judge replaced Jackson's mother as temporary administrator of his estate with two of the pop icon's business associates, as instructed by a 2002 will.