Not that I believe half the stuff on FoxNews, but here's an interesting story...

http://www.foxnews.com/st...01,00.html

Roger Friedman wrote this?

why don't people stay out of Michael Jackson's financial business?

and why even bother posting this?.....oh, thats right.....to get the bashing started once again!

Friedman is saying michael has been broke since 2001...
Its boardering on 2008 and MJ still keeps afloat...

okay, now this MJ thread madness is REALLY getting out of hand

ANY stories about Michael Jackson are considered "bashing"?

Whoa...talk about fanatics!

I love Michael as a performer; this was a news item talking about his finances, not about him fondling young 'uns.

Most performers, particularly performers who don't come from money, *especially* African-American performers, never learned how to handle multi-million dollar fortunes.

Prince had his troubles in the early nineties. Ali had his problems in the 70's and 80's. Joe Louis practically died broke. TLC declared bankruptcy. Will Smith lost (and eventually regained) his fortune. M.C. Hammer went from millions in the bank to television infomercials to the Surreal Life. Willie Nelson may owe his grandson to the U.S. government. Mike Tyson is so broke he owes GOD money. In every field, you have people who once made a tremendous amount of money, suddenly run out of money. In some cases, it's because of mismanagement of their finances. In other cases, it's because record companies and/or trusted associates stole from them. In every case, it's considered news.

If Michael Jackson got hit by a car, God forbid, would posting it be considered "bashing Michael"? (cue the jokes) When Jermaine's and the Jackson family's financial business came out in Jermaine's divorce battle, I didn't see anyone say "Oh, this is just Jermaine bashing again!" I *did* hear folks making fun of the brotha's hair.

The fact remains that maintaining a mansion and a yacht, according to Elmer J. Fudd, costs more money sometimes than buying them in the first place. People coming up in the music business should realize that the record companies, the agents, and the lawyers make more money in the long run than the artists themselves, because they know how to handle their money and make their money work for them.

A successful artist may have two or three number one hits a year, if he or she is lucky. A successful producer may be getting paid by several artists if they all have hits. A successful composer gets paid forever, if his or her songs are used in other media, such as commercials or become the theme song of a popular tv show.

The smartest thing Michael ever did was get into music publishing. It's the one asset that makes him more money and gives him financial leverage, even over and above any of the property he owns.

But he needs to start producing hits, commercial quality work that will sell here and overseas, and see if he build his own record label to develop and promote new talent; he can't keep borrowing against his existing assets just to service new debt.

if any of you who hit a time clock, or work for somebody else, you really should be worried about that, and not a man who flies in jets damn near every two, or so weeks to go anywhere he please, this country is in trillions of dollars in debt, but keeps borrowing money, and has been, everybody borrows money, to keep from spending their own, that dude (jackson) has long, very long paper, and some people try to assume his monies, like they sit in his financial meetings, that dude don't have to make another record(song), he owns damn near everything, if not then he owns half of everything thats on radio, go look it up...if folks only knew the songs this cat owns, and investments everywhere else, you would ask those who claims he's broke, or going broke.....When is he going to file bankruptcy, like donald trump, and so many others have ???

if mike was as broke as people proclaim him 2 b he wouldnt b stayin irleland,las vegas and all these countries wit all these personal assiants and shit.people cant accpect that a black man who been through as much as he has still remains rich as hell cuz shit he owns over half the rights 2 the records all these white folks who bashing him buying so umm until mike says out of his mouth im broke as hell shut yo bitch ass up america

the man makes milions with that music catalogue and its growing with ringels , ringtones , live dvds , new added catalogues one of shakira and eminem + his own music. it wouldnt surprise me if he made like a 100 mil a year or something he is paying his bills cause if he wassent they would have taken his presious catalogue

MJ is indicative of everything American.. its a shame americans cant understand that he's just like the rest of you.

He's in debt, just like every other american
He's obsessed with looking young and doing anything to get it, just like every other american
He's drives about in massive vehicles with enough room for a small country... just like every other american
He's racially obsessed, just like every other american
He sees everything outside america as needing help, impoverished and falling apart.

He is America!!!!!

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.. that is sooo tooo funny about ^^^^^

Michael can get his finances back together... he should release a DVD video collection of ALL his videos and including rare footage, making of videos, he also needs to release DVD's of his Bad tour, and History tour....

there are so many things michael jackson has that he can still market... I would definity buy those dvds if released...

Alasseon said:

And this is why his new album will be important (if he ever puts it out). He can't afford to continue to have lawsuits that are egging him out of his salary. The best thing he could afford NOW is to do an album and a tour for money purposes to stop these types of stories from developing 'cause the minute you think you're settled, you realize you're not as settled as you think. People are only bashing this because it seems while Roger Friedman BELIEVED Mike did not commit any crimes, he does believe the man is going to lose the ATV catalog and his "precious home", which he hasn't lived at since his acquittal (and really during the times his career was BUSY, he hardly lived THERE either, he was always on the road or in Europe somewhere). I just hope something happens good for Michael.

Timmy84 said:

I am so glad you pointed this out -- the fact that one of the vehement critics of Michael Jackson in the media admitted that he does not believe Michael Jackson is a pedophile.

And also, you are right. This new album is the one chance for all these fucking threads on his finances, alleged crimes, etc. to decrease in number.

Rodya24 said:

Yeah and I find it odd that fans get more mad at Roger saying Mike's gonna be broke (well let's face it the brother IS in debt and he has a habit of spending too much for stuff he "wants", check out the first half of Living with MJ, the brother was like he was in a fucking toy store with all the artsy stuff: "ooh I want that!" GTFOH! LOL) than be satisfied that he believes in MJ not having anything do with any kid. But I guess they believe that Michael don't have to ask for money because of "Thriller" and shit. Oh if only they knew...

Timmy84 said:

I believe he's in debt, but I think the stories been exaggerated. RF's been saying he's been broke for years, but yet he stays afloat. Also, could it a possibility that he just didn't feel like paying?

Hell naw I ain't payin' ya'll! and I wish a muthafucka would try to take my damn ferris wheel!
[Edited 10/27/07 11:58am]

bboy87 said:

Michael is reminding me of Ronald Isley, Willie Nelson and my boy Marvin Gaye - three known "fuck the IRS" people. "Like hell I'd pay for shit, fuck you" is his attitude. I say "just make an album" and maybe (just maybe) he'll get the monkeys off his back... oh I shouldn't have said that (sorry Bubbles )

Why doesn't MJ get off his lazy ass and actually WORK for a change? Get out there and tour! He seems to think that he can maintain a lavish lifestyle by sitting on his ass and collecting royalty checks.

SoulAlive said:

Michael just don't know, do he? Brother said he has something "surprising" for his fans, I wish he just "do it" rather than "say it".

"Just talking loud and saying nothing
Just saying nothing, just saying nothing..." - James Brown ft. Bobby Byrd, "Talking Loud and Saying Nothing" (1972)

SoulAlive said:

wait a minute this guy is like almost 50.. he has worked very hard most of his life since he was a little kid 7 years old..

TotalAlisa said:

Sammy Davis started HIS career at three and kept on until his death at 64.

I'm sure Michael is doing something but the fool ain't telling us what it is yet.
[Edited 10/27/07 16:54pm]

They've been on that Michael-is-broke ish for a hot minute now. I'm going to quote Paul Mooney and say, Michael is not broke. If he was, that hair would be nappy. He always has a perm, and perms cost money.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kRKCs_GHoEs

TotalAlisa said:

5 yrs old, but whose counting.

floetcist said:

And it's a good perm. Michael doesn't use those "Just For Me" homemade kits

TotalAlisa said:

Prince and Madonna are the same age as Michael,and they tour all the time.I'm not saying that Mike has to do a grueling world tour where he travels the world for months at a time.He could get a comfortable,lucrative Las Vegas deal,like Celine Dion,where he would never even have to leave the state.

I wouldn't mind being "broke" by Michael Jackson standards. I think he should either let Neverland go, or turn it into a museum and amusement park (similar to Graceland) so it could generate some profit. Although their is a bad stigma attached to Neverland, Michael Jackson is still a worldwide icon and I am sure it will attract many tourist. My only rules are every child MUST be accompanied by an adult, and NO slumber parties. I think it would be lucrative.

SoulAlive said:

most of his fans expect him to dance and sing (lip synch) as before.

he may dont want to disapoint them.

i stopped reading as soon as I saw the FOX link.

Michael already said he doesn't like to tour. He said 'Bad' would be his last tour. lol

electrorock said:

Michael had only started lip syncing (theres no 'h' by the way) in the late 90s, I recall.

floetcist said:

I think all of the Jacksons television stuff was synced. Since the sixties, all artists who performed on tv generally synced their own songs, especially if they would be dancing. See: American Bandstand, Soul Train, Solid Gold, etc... So it's not just Mike, but everyone, including P, have lip-synced for television.

floetcist said:

its also lip synch and MJ did it way before the 90s

electrorock said:

Sure he did, like Alasseon pointed out in the above post. However, on tours like Destiny, Triumph, and Bad (except for the last song of the last two concerts, I believe) and 80-90% of Dangerous, he sang live. His career should not be based on post-1995 alone. His best work performance-wise was done from the late '60s to the late '80s.