tmo1965 said:

oh good then it's not just me

When Michael was going solo Katherine was told to tell her boys to start saving money. They should have listened!

she also guil-tripped michael into the victory tour supposedly, amongst other things i'm sure

theyre grown men, i'll never understand that dependency.

StillDirrty said:

Jermaine had potential to have a career, but things just didn't play out properly, and him dissing Michael in 1991 was the worst thing he could. Did he end up being blacklisted??

suga10 said:

Yeah he hasn't had a record deal since "Word to the Badd" came out.

Didn't Toya say she lived three minutes away from Michael's home in Holmby Hills?

So maybe she finally achieved her own independence.

suga10 said:

'Toya long achieved it. She's been living in her own place since she divorced from Jack Gordon all those years ago. She made up with her parents and siblings but she never lived in Hayvenhurst again. Regardless of how we felt, she actually was smarter than her brothers and she's got her own money.

dearmother said:

And that's why I said before, fame made them spoiled as ever.

They were so hardworking in Indiana.

Michael Jackson: Succumbed by Corrosive Friendships
06.08.2009 | Author: admin | Posted in Motivational

Introduction
News services were buzzing. Phones were ringing. By now, everyone knew. The “King of Pop” was dead. On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson died at the age of 50. Immediately, cable stations started dissecting Michael’s life. In fact, in less than 24 hours, his so-called “friends” were coming out and releasing innuendos about him. CNN analyst Jeff Todbin noted, “He was surrounded by thieves and jackals.” As Michael rests in peace, many news commentators continue to sensationalize his life, hoping for another media circus. This article examines Michael’s life as it relates to his corrosive friendships so that readers can gain valuable lessons from his story.

Personal Background
Michael lived a life most people could only fantasize about. Born in 1958 in Gary, Indiana, Michael emerged from simple beginnings to become a mega Superstar. He and his four brothers became a Motown Records icon and a landmark for teens across the world. Michael’s lifetime record sales are estimated to be over 750 million. Michael had become the King of Pop. He was also one of the most generous Hollywood celebrities to charities.
Yet, the storyline of the King of Pop is disturbing. His eccentric ways, transformational looks, spending sprees, and financial troubles gave fuel to his critics. Additionally, his continual battles regarding child sexual abuse severely damaged his public image. To individuals concerned with this image, Michael was an individual to keep away from, even if you were supposed to be his friend. His brother Jermaine Jackson stated, “Michael became the victim of his own success.” Michael understood better than anyone the isolation of being a child superstar.

The Friendship Definition
Many people have not developed the instinct to know true friends. According to the Urban Dictionary, a fair weather friend is someone who is only a friend when circumstances are pleasant or profitable. An enabler is someone who allows another person to persist in self-destructive behavior by providing excuses or by making it possible to avoid the consequences.

Within minutes of Michael’s death, individuals seized this opportunity to attract media attention based on their past relationships with him. For example, Michael’s mother Katherine Jackson and his family are fighting for control of his estate. On July 6th, a Los Angeles judge gave temporary control of this estate to Michael’s long time associates, John Branca and John McClain. This action was done contrary to Michael’s family wishes. Katherine’s attorney argued, “To award unfettered control to the other side wouldn’t serve justice.” Therefore, the greater the media hype, the greater the financial gain.
Furthermore, enablers were also a part of Michael’s life. According to varying reports, Michael took a host of prescription drugs to ease his pain and anxiety. Several former friends and employees spoke out that Michael was surrounded by medical staff that enabled him. Lisa Marie Presley, Michael’s first wife, acknowledged the reality of Michael’s corrosive friendships: “I became very ill and emotionally/spiritually exhausted in my quest to save him from certain destructive behavior and from the awful vampires and leeches he would always manage to magnetize around him.” Many superstars surround themselves with “yes” people. Who wants to hear opinions that may contradict his or her own? In this regard, celebrities are not alone.

Conclusion
Few people can deny the talents of Michael Jackson. Surprisingly, even in death, Michael manages to break records. Just a few weeks after his death, Michael became the first artist to hold 8 of the top 10 slots on a Billboard chart. Michael sold a combined 422,000 albums (241,000 were downloads). Therefore, his star power has proven immortal. Like so many stars, Michael was surrounded with wealth and fame. Yet, there is something that even the most common of people can understand. A person must surround themselves with true friends. This darker side of Michael’s reality places him alongside other high-profile celebrities such as Anna Nicole Smith. In spite of this fact, Michael remains a music genius. However, he is also an example of what can happen when an individual surrounds himself with corrosive friendships. Let’s hope we can heed this lesson from the King of Pop.

http://www.mikesdirectory...iendships/

Michael Jackson was scheduled for a second physical
Lloyd's, the British carrier underwriting the majority of the risk for the pop star's planned comeback concerts, insisted on follow-up tests by a London physician.
By Harriet Ryan
August 7, 2009

Michael Jackson was scheduled to undergo a second physical by an insurance company doctor at the time of his death, according to the terms of the policy purchased by the promoter of his planned comeback concerts in London.

A New York doctor gave Jackson a battery of medical tests in February so promoter AEG Live could get insurance for a portion of the performances, but the British carrier underwriting the majority of the risk, Lloyd's, insisted on a follow-up physical by a London physician closer to the July 13 kickoff show.

Under the terms in place when Jackson died, the $17.5-million policy covered only "losses" -- cancellations or non-appearances by the pop icon "resulting from accident." That coverage could have been expanded to include shows scuttled by a death from natural causes or by illness, but only after insurance officials had reviewed the results of the second medical examination and watched a run-through of the show at the O2 Arena.

Jackson, 50, died June 25, the week before he was to travel to London.

On Thursday, AEG Live provided a copy of the policy to Jackson's mother, Katherine, in what the company said was an effort to quell misinformation about its terms. The entertainer's father, Joe Jackson, suggested in an interview Sunday with Fox News' Geraldo Rivera that there was something suspicious about the AEG policy.

According to a copy obtained by The Times, the policy specifically prohibited a payout if cancellations were related to illegal drug use.

"This insurance does not cover any loss directly or indirectly arising out of, contributed to, by or resulting from . . . the illegal possession or illicit taking of drugs and their effects," the policy read.

Jackson, who had struggled with prescription drug addiction, was taking medication at the time of his death. Authorities are investigating the role drugs may have played in his death and are mulling charges against his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. The L.A. County coroner's office has not yet released the results of a toxicology screen. AEG has said that the company is awaiting an official determination of death before trying to collect on the policy.

L.A.-based AEG has said getting insurance coverage for the troubled singer's comeback effort was difficult. The Lloyd's policy covered the income expected to be generated during the first 13 of the 50 planned concerts.

The promoter's chief executive, Randy Phillips, has said the company spent up to $30 million mounting the elaborate show but expects to recoup the investment by collecting on the insurance policy and embarking on various deals with the Jackson estate, including a documentary film.

Much of the policy appears standard, but aspects testify to Jackson's global fame. In an effort to guard his privacy, Jackson was referred to throughout the policy as Mark Jones. The policy also indicates the high stakes in keeping Jackson healthy. With a common cold carrying a potential cost in the millions, the policy barred Jackson from holding "meet-and-greets" with fans.

The policy, finalized in April, also covered Jackson's then-manager, Dr. Tohme Tohme.

"I think they put me on the insurance because we were traveling together and we were going to be together," the businessman said.

What makes me most sad - was that despite obvious flaws and weakness and inability to sleep - Michael was taking steps in the right direction to get his career back on track. Rehiring Branca and Dileo was getting the proper players in place to really work it. He seemed to be focused on his music and art again.

We will all live in a world now of what could have been.

Swa

I just wished he had gotten help for his insomnia instead of relying on people who didn't know how to handle people with those problems? It's easy to say it now because he's gone but when someone dies, you do wonder, you know?

i wish he would've left the country and disappeared for awhile longer, gotten some therapy n focused on his kids..then maybe work on an album. oh well.

dearmother said:

That's why I wished he had gotten to London sooner, lol. He should've at least stayed overseas and work on his comeback like Marvin & Tina did.

IMO, if he had gotten the psychiatric help he needed he wouldn't have been crazy enough to trust a doctor to use anesthesia on him in his home. & He needed REAL friends. Most of these people that spoke out after his death are phony. They were probably all embarrassed by him when he was known as "Wacko Jacko." & now they're his greatest friend. Whatever. The family is shady too. Yeah they tried to intervene but they were probably at the same time asking him for money and we already know that they were asking him to do another J5 tour so he probably wouldn't want to be around them to ask for help. Joe said that he wasn't let into the home. I bet he wouldn't turn away Katherine. He would listen to her. Why didn't she try to intervene? & he wasn't going to get someone to give him a reality check about plastic surgery from his family because they all seem to love it too. It's just a mess all around. Because when Britney was acting a fool her family stepped up. IMO, no one did enough for Michael. When he continued to hang around little children. Why didn't someone tell him to stay away from them? Like that Diane Sawyer interview...Lisa Marie was like oh yeah they kick me out of the bed there's nothing wrong with it. Michael was obviously too out of it to understand why he couldn't act like that and she needed to tell him to STOP!

StillDirrty said:

This is reminding me of how Marvin and Elvis died, why weren't there people to help them when they needed them (even if they shoved people away that tried it)? I'm thinking celebrities never get tough love because they think they're "above it" at a certain point. No matter how you slice it and dice it, that's the way MJ's death is sounding like to me now.

Timmy84 said:

Some of these people imo didn't care as long as Michael was making them money. Or as long as he brought them publicity like when he was in the height of his fame. Like that Quincy Jones interview where he was like he didn't believe that Michael had an illness. WTH! If I can see it clearly in pictures why can't someone who was around him ALL THE TIME notice? & the lupus rashes or whatever they are again it's obvious. No one has cheeks that pink. He was sick and people just weren't paying attention. It's like Joe..."He's the King of Pop everything is fine."

StillDirrty said:

Quincy put his foot in his mouth, I'm convinced of it. Because MJ DID have vitiligo so I don't know what he was on about. He and Joe are like two different peas in the pod. Least Joe never said anything derogatory in public about his son so I give him that.

This might sound weird,but I keep feeling "I wish I had been there",but I don't know why,cause if he would'nt listen to his family,why would he of listened to me. I don't know,it's just how I keep feeling.

EmeraldSkies said:

Some of us wish that but even if we knew him, would he listen and if not, then... well...

Timmy84 said:

Then I would have been pissed,and he would not have been happy with what I had to tell him.

Got The Hots? It says that it is from the Thriller 25th Anniversary CD,but it's not on mine.

I wish I knew him back in the '80s at the age I am now because he used to be so cute! Anyways, I would have loved to talk some sense into him and inquire about this being a virgin in his '30s business. It just made him seem more weird to the public. I know everyone has different views but saving yourself for LMP? Meh!

EmeraldSkies said:

It's on the Japan edition.

dearmother said:

Reports were that post 2005 he was seeing a therapist to deal with the fall out of the case and his feelings.

Swa

What about this one?

EmeraldSkies said:

What about it?

Timmy84 said:

I've never heard it before. Is this another one of those unreleased tracks?

EmeraldSkies said:

It's on his Ultimate Collection box set from '04. MJ recorded it for "Invincible" but he never finished it. It ended up being recorded by Glenn Lewis for the "Maid in Manhattan" soundtrack.
[Edited 8/7/09 0:04am]

Timmy84 said:

Also covered by Rebbie Jackson on her album with Michael producing and providing backing vocals.

Swa