xlr8r said:

Yeah, well, at least I (and other fans) could get a "hello," a free hug or handshake, and maybe some small talk from Michael if you spotted him walking around without pandemonium.

Unless you resemble Vanity, you couldn't get eye contact from Prince in public even after you paid him $77 for nothing.

WaterInYourBath said:

Um, didn't MJ once charge his fans in Japan 1000 dollars just for the opportunity to meet him and shake his hand?

That doesn't sound like a free hug or handshake to me!!!

WaterInYourBath said:

Um, didn't MJ once charge his fans in Japan 1000 dollars just for the opportunity to meet him and shake his hand?

That doesn't sound like a free hug or handshake to me!!!

Paris9748430 said:

Sorry, I was actually talking about his kindness to fans in his home country: The United States. I've never been to Japan, but I think I know what you're talking about. However, he made up for that in 2007 when he did a speech and mingled with soldiers and fans at a US military base in Japan. http://www.youtube.com/wa...qYPyxsSH0Y I never read about him charging anyone, let alone the Army, for that.

Paris9748430 said:

i heard that too..they got to have pics taken with him and to shake those nasty hands

WaterInYourBath said:

So, it's OK if he charges his fans in foreign countries a grand just to meet him, but it's not OK for him to do it to fans in the US?

Paris9748430 said:

I don't understand what you typed. And who said he "charged" them? That's not what I heard. From the footage I saw on YouTube back then, people were OFFERING to pay Mike a few grand just for a glance, and I guess he accepted a couple offers. He didn't ask fans for anything. Watch the YouTube link I posted.

WaterInYourBath said:

Riiiight, keep convincing you're self that.

Michael would NEVER charge someone 1000 bucks just for a chance to meet him. He'd just take their money if they offered it!!!

Why does that sound familiar to me???

Paris9748430 said:

Ok, I just found an article about this. http://www.dailymail.co.u...Japan.html I was thinking about business owner "fans" offering him money to appear in their clubs (since he did some appearances for businesses while visiting). But after reading that link, how do you know Michael charged the money instead of clever Japanese people who owned the venue where the fans paid to see him? He probably didn't receive any of that money.

Besides, this is Michael Jackson we're talking about. People would throw down over $20,000 just to voluntarily travel anywhere in the world to see him, without him even knowing or getting any money. Michael didn't swindle money from fans like Prince has, and MJ gave refunds when something went wrong.

NO divorce for me. I don't agree with some of his "doings", but PERSONALLY Ive been very blessed

WaterInYourBath said:

I don't give a damn who it is, I ain't payin' a grand to see nobody!!!

It doesn't matter if Michael or the promoter came up with the price. If Michael thought charging people that much money for just a handshake was so bad, he would've told the guy not to do it.

But this was during a time before his death where Michael really needed the money.


So please stop acting like Michael is above ripping someone off.

How many times have Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, and Dangerous been reissued? For the same songs.

Paris9748430 said:

That's only if Michael was aware of the price in the first place. He might have been totally oblivious to the charge, since he did not organize the gathering, nor did he own the place where it happened. It was a Japanese planned "party, " and he just showed up, most likely after he had already been paid by the owners, not by the fans. I may be totally wrong since I wasn't there, but for him to turn around and talk to fans around Japan and do a free speech at a military base there, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt.

And yeah, Michael was above ripping off fans. He proved that during the Victory Tour and times again afterward. Plus, Sony was releasing those CDs and DVDs for profit. Once again, MJ was not Prince. Michael was under contract with a record label, so re-releases were sometimes out of his control.

WaterInYourBath said:

Just. Stop.

You're not making any sense, so just quit while you're behind.

Regarding to Michael's fan event in Japan:

First, the fact without speculation. Fan event were held twice. "Registration fee" for one was about $160 (for just attending the party) and the other for $4,300 (including 10 seconds of personal time with Michael) with today's exchange rate of $1 = JPY 93.

Second, my opinion. I don't think Michael didn't know the registration fee at all. Then, throwing down over $20,000 just to voluntarily to travel to see him and being obliged to pay $4,300 for hug and handshaking as a registration fee are quite different.

Jackson, who was decked out in a black leather jacket and sporting his dark shades, was escorted through a crowd of screaming fans - some holding signs declaring their love for the singer and welcoming him to the country.

The singer is also expected to be the judge of an art contest for his fans with three entries winning a brunch and photo opportunity with Jackson. The contest is meant to give fans who can’t afford the $3,500 party ticket price a chance to meet the iconic singer.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Excuse me, sir. But as a Michael Jackson fan myself, I resent your comment. No disrespect or nothin', but I'm not delusional nor in denial of anything. MJ has never once screwed his fans with a damn website. MJ.com has been pretty thorough in maintaining a happy fandom, as I can attest to (although after his untimely passing , Sony really fucks around with us a lot. They're worse than the fucking FCC). I honestly don't know why Prince mistreats his fans so...but leave MJ out of this, please. He has done nothing to merit this kind of attack.

Yeah, I love Prince. I think he's an amazing artist. But as far as him opening a website goes...I'm not joining or investing my money in it. The org is probably one of the best P fanbases I've come across, so I'm sticking with it.

Peace out

PurpleLove7 said:

Tremolina said:

Like I said, Children of the Corn! it can't be any other way if Malachai doesn't approve!

But it's still not fair to throw that one-time Japanese party (that people did not have to attend if they couldn't afford it) at MJ fans' just to try to say he took advantage of us like Prince has.

It's a silly comparison.

MJ didn't treat fans the way Prince does his "fam."

I kinda hope this is the last straw for many of u. So then maybe the bitching about everything he does and everything he doesn't do can cease. Some of u seemed so wrapped up into loving/hating Prince that it is down right pathological.

Prince fucks up a lot of business endevours because he is a control freak. the very same qualities that have allowed him to create and carry on a 30 year music career on his own terms are the same that cause what ever his latest debacle is. Surely u folks realize that they are flipsides of the same coin.

I would hate for Prince to bring himself to u guys level by speaking personnally to u. I know what would happen. Every word would be parsed and he would be desrespected with name-calling and such. Just it would be more directly to his face.

So far the so-called fans have called him a dick, has-been, idiot, thief, loser, everything short of a murderer or anti-christ. Its all not that serious. And if it is serious for u need to go to the doctor and get some xanax because some of u people whole existence seem to revolve around the latest twist in his existence.

While the internet has given everyone a voice and access, it has also revealed how ego-centric, greedy and down right mean a lot of folk are. Its the id run amok.

So yes I hope this latest debacle makes a lot of u go somewhere where u can vent happy thoughts instead of venom. But what I think will happen is those of u who love to degrade will just intensify the hate becuse it the hate that fuels your life.

It started 13 years ago with the Crystal Ball fiasco and it seems to end here, with that "i'm closing my website without a word after one year of virtually nothing" and the credit card fiasco of yesterday.

I've always defended Prince on an artistic and human level, but the business relationship he has with his core fanbase is getting worse & worse. I, like many, really interpreted this whole Lotusflow3r.com xperience as being a very rude "fuck u" from him 2 us.

& since i'm no so-called "hater" (never was, never will be), i really feel this is just so unfair 2 be treated like this.

Prince owes nothing 2 his fans as a man or as an artist, but he does owe something 2 his "customers" when he sells them a product.

Is this the final divorce between Prince and his core fandom, and do u share this feeling that he wanted it 2 happen and did everything in order 4 it 2 happen?

& therefore... what about the future???
[Edited 3/26/10 8:00am]

If a friend treated you like this, they would be gone.
Same goes for that funny little chap Prince.
Reliably disappointing.
Reliably selfish.
Reliably narcissistic.

Thanks for the good times, I wish you well.

I aint casting my pearls B4 the swine, you aint ever killed a rabbit and you aint no friend of mine.

Shalom.

Hey that you ? yeahs that you - your the guy !!!!

personally I dont see where Prince went wrong, he put the site up clearly to help promote the album and those who were able to capitalize on the great seat offers through the site are happy. Those who werent got music, photos and videos you didnt see anywhere else. The album cycle is over now the site is down. In my opinion he did everyone a favor by taking it down and not leaving it up getting folks more riled up by waiting for nothing as far as updates leaving more room for complaints. The life span of most fanclubs is 1 yr.

they are going to refund the $77 to those charged so no one should be upset

you should only be upset if you were one of the founding members and didnt get a t-shirt, but chances are you probably werent amongst the "founding members" if you didnt get one by now. If you were promised one at check out thats a different story

some fans ask for too much, if this on-going Prince cycle is new to you, start looking forward to whats next, its not the end of the world. if you love and support him, you love and support him no matter what. It just a web site and if you arent used to it by now, you'll learn a new lesson in patience

Prince doesnt owe anyone anything (except the IRS lol) but seriously when you purchase music and go to tours and support an artist, thats your choice so dont get upset when you are disappointed when you want more than what you've paid for

peace
[Edited 3/26/10 21:39pm]

WaterInYourBath said:

Agreed Read my post exactly, please. Did I summarize or conclude how MJ treat his fans? I just tell the fact and my opinion about a certain event. That's all.


Again, I'm not comparing them at all. I'm not offensive against MJ and not defensive against Prince.


You seem to be wrong at this point. It seems that "Fams" are not feeling uncomfortable with treatment by Prince. You can see amazingly defensive post here and there. Don't you think so?