Celebrities gather at Miami Beach Golf Course today for DJ Irie's Fifth Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament

Actors Wesley Jonathan, Alfonso Ribeiro and DJ Irie shared a happy moment as they watched break dancers perform before the golf tournament. (Credit: Joanie Cox)

Today Joey Fatone, Gabrielle Union, Alfonso Ribeiro, Isaiah Thomas, Stephanie Pratt from "The Hills," basketball player Dorell Wright NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor and other stars came out in the sweltering 96 degree heat to support DJ Irie's Irie Weekend. The event, which Irie has hosted the last five years, benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami. As golfers mingled with celebrities today at Miami Beach Golf Course sipping Red Bull and Gentleman Jack, Michael Jackson was the topic on everyone's mind's today.

Irie, who is the Miami Heat's official DJ and on the SKAM Artist roster, saw Jackson a week and a half ago while he was at Center Stage Studio in California rehearsing for Jamie Foxx's tour.  "I saw Michael coming out of the studio. He was getting into his car. He was at the studio rehearsing for his tour," Irie says. "He had access to healthcare all his life, yet he's not with us anymore. Fifty is such a young age. MJ is my era, an inspiration. I can't believe he's gone. For me it's just surreal."

Gabrielle Union, who is a friend of DJ Irie's, addressed the negative posts Perez Hilton blogged about Jackson "faking it" when he was taken to the hospital.

"Why do we wait for people to pass before saying nice things about them? These people have families and feelings. Words hurt people," Union says. "Tell people what an inspiration they are while they are alive."

Stephanie Pratt, who is Spencer Pratt's sister, says she's still in shock when her mother texted her about Jackson's death Thursday.

"It was my mom's birthday and she spent the whole morning crying about Farrah Fawcett's death and then Michael Jackson died. It was so sad. I remember watching the Thriller video nonstop when I was little."

In addition to reminiscing about the King of Pop, Irie and Pratt played Dance Dance Revolution on Nintendo Wii while some of the kids from Big Brothers Big Sisters looked on. Best Buy then donated three Nintendo Wii's to the children's organization and $1,000 worth of gift cards to needy families.

Additional sponsors for the event include Konami Digital Entertainment, who customized a Nintendo Wii with Irie's name on it and Rim/Telenav, who teamed up with Sprint to give Irie and Pratt the orange Blackberry Inferno, which is set to be released mid-July.

Here are some photos from today.

— Joanie Cox

Tomorrow there's a celebrity pool party noon at Shore Club.

Get there:
Shore Club
1901 Collins Ave.,
Miami Beach