A fake funeral for Breaking Bad's Walter White, held on Saturday in Albuquerque, N.M., has stoked both a controversy and funds for a charity.
The ceremony had a procession which was lead by the White's infamous RV and a hearse, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Those who attended donated money to charity and then were allowed to throw dirt into a real grave site - complete with a headstone and empty coffin - to 'honor' White.
It was reported by the Albuquerque Journal that nearly 200 people attended the fake funeral and the AMC show's set decorator was on hand to deliver the eulogy. The fake funeral was to help raise money for the city's Healthcare for the Homeless. The event managed to raise about $17,000 for the charitable organization.
Though the event was for a good cause, others felt it was in poor taste. Local TV station KOB reports that the gravesite might attract tourists to the very real cemetery.
"My son is buried about 15 yards from where the makeshift gravesite is," Manuel Montano said. "This is a place of mourning. It's not a spectacle."
A petition was even created on iPetitions.com asking that the grave be removed for fear of the constant presence of tourists. The petition claims that the White house sees "10,000 cars full of fans a month, according to the homeowner."
The petition also reads, "Adding a physical grave site will encourage tourists to visit a sacred burial site of hundreds and hundreds of loved ones."
image: AMC