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Reply #840 posted 06/16/10 1:23pm

NMuzakNSoul

MOL said:

alphastreet said:

MOL, from day one I was saying Joseph killed this man too. People seem to have amnesia and forgot that he was trying to sue him before his death, and if Murray didn't kill him from the drugs, Joe would have killed Michael from the stress eventually.

I hope Randy feels better soon, but I hope I don't hear anything twisted from TMZ like Murray being involved, the story just gets crazier each day though I still miss him so much sad

The saddest thing is that Joseph was sueing Michael for THIRTY MILLIONS. Besides, if the lawsuit had gone anywhere, the TII would have been boycotted. Worse: as soon as MJ was pronounced dead, Leonard Rowe sued him for...300 millions. Needless to say, Joe was behind everything.

However, It seems, though, that anyone, here, who says a bad thing towards Joseph is immediately labed an "hater" who doesn't know how to distinguish old school from abuse.

May this man, just like Randy BTW, die as soon as possible. God's forgiveness-meter for these guys is exploding.

You have issues, with your e-thug self. falloff

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Reply #841 posted 06/16/10 5:38pm

dreamfactory31
3

MOL said:

dreamfactory313 said:

Wow, its true. Randy Jackson had a heart attack today.sad

Why do you feel sorry for a man who abandoned his children and who is a wife and kid abuser? Why do you feel sorry for a sex addict who is an expert in extorting money from people (including family members)? I, for one, won't shed a tear if Randy goes to the grave tomorrow. Save that emoticon ( sad ) for the millions of good people who die everyday leaving their children parentless. Not for Randy. Unless, obviously, we have different values and visions of life. Just an opinion.

Im sorry that you feel that way.

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Reply #842 posted 06/16/10 5:39pm

dreamfactory31
3

carlcranshaw said:

dreamfactory313 said:

Wow, its true. Randy Jackson had a heart attack today.sad

(TMZ/Bossip/Whatever tabloid site comments voice) "He's just trying steal some of Michael's coronary swag. He needs to go back to American Idol and sit down."

"coronary swag"? omg

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Reply #843 posted 06/16/10 6:44pm

babybugz

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Timmy84 said:

dreamfactory313 said:

Wow, its true. Randy Jackson had a heart attack today.sad

Randy was once close to death after that car accident he had in, I think, 1980. People kept saying how it was a miracle he was even alive at all (and walking, albeit with some difficulty). I wouldn't wish death on no one. But somehow I won't be surprised if he did succumb. And near the anniversary of his elder brother's death. Weird.

That would be the worst thing smh , people start saying the jacksons have some kind of curse on them.
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Reply #844 posted 06/16/10 8:54pm

Arnotts

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

Randy was once close to death after that car accident he had in, I think, 1980. People kept saying how it was a miracle he was even alive at all (and walking, albeit with some difficulty). I wouldn't wish death on no one. But somehow I won't be surprised if he did succumb. And near the anniversary of his elder brother's death. Weird.

That would be the worst thing smh , people start saying the jacksons have some kind of curse on them.

A curse? That would be stupid. There's a tonne of them in that family. I'm suprised they all lasted as long as they did. Most people I know in their 40's have at least one person from their immediate family dead already and they have way less than 11 members.

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Reply #845 posted 06/16/10 9:37pm

alphastreet

People used to say the Kennedys were cursed, if Randy went and at this month of all months, people will start saying that too. I know he's not perfect and has done stupid things even though he did the right thing bringing in T-Mez for the trial, but I don't wish death on him either and hope he's alright though it will not surprise me if he's next in line sad

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Reply #846 posted 06/17/10 2:59am

dag

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http://www.google.com/hos...QD9GCR1900

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY and THOMAS WATKINS (AP) – 1 hour ago

LOS ANGELES — Michael Jackson's doctor requested but never received lifesaving gear from the concert promoter organizing the singer's London shows, documents obtained by The Associated Press show.

E-mails and a proposed contract detailing Dr. Conrad Murray's negotiations with concert promoter AEG Live reveal the requests for a heart resuscitation unit and a medical assistant.

Neither apparently was in place when Jackson died last June 25 after Murray administered a mixture of sedatives, including the anesthetic propofol, in an attempt to get the chronic insomniac to sleep.

Propofol is extremely powerful and is usually administered only in medical settings with emergency equipment on hand. Patients are normally constantly monitored.

Murray was alone when he gave the drugs to Jackson. After he realized the sedated star was not breathing, he performed CPR but was unable to revive him.

The doctor has pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge in Jackson's death. His proposed contract with AEG, which included a monthly fee of $150,000, was not finalized before the singer's death. Murray never received payment for his services.

The documents concerning Murray's requests are included in a complaint filed by Jackson's father, Joe, to the California Medical Board against AEG Live. The complaint accuses the promoter of Jackson's comeback "This Is It" shows of engaging in the "unlawful practice of corporate medicine."

It also accuses the company of forcing Murray to provide Jackson with dangerous medical services.

Michael Roth, an AEG spokesman, said the company had not seen the complaint and could not comment on it or the contract.

Murray's lawyer Ed Chernoff declined to comment.

Murray had known Jackson and treated him and his children occasionally in recent years but was working for AEG at the time of the singer's death, Chernoff has said and the complaint states.

The AEG agreement would have covered Murray's work while Jackson was preparing for the London shows and throughout the concerts last summer.

"AEG hired, directed, controlled and demanded Dr. Conrad Murray, a medical doctor, to medicate Michael Jackson, provide Jackson with dangerous medical services, and to give Michael Jackson controlled substances and other drugs without providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation equipment or nursing assistance as it had promised in writing it would provide," the complaint states.

Murray's request for the medical equipment and assistant were first made to a concert tour business manager, an e-mail message shows.

The request was later mentioned in Murray's contract. The language stated AEG "shall provide Dr. Murray for his use during the term with medical equipment requested by Dr. Murray to assist him in performing the services as approved by (AEG)."

The equipment is described as a "portable cardio pulmonary resuscitation unit ('CPR Machine'), saline, catheters, needles, a gurney and other mutually approved medical equipment necessary for the Services."

The complaint states Murray signed the document a day before Michael Jackson's death.

An e-mail sent to Murray during the negotiations explained a delay in the contract's drafting because it was a "rare event" for a physician to be hired to care for a singer on tour.

E-mails also show the contract was still being reworked two days before Jackson's death, which happened a week before he was to travel to London for the "This Is It" shows.

A spokeswoman for the California Medical Board said complaints filed to the agency are confidential unless it takes any action. The board receives 8,000 complaints a year, according to its website.

Joe Jackson's attorney, Brian Oxman, confirmed he filed a complaint with the California Medical Board but declined to discuss it.

In his complaint, Joe Jackson — who has repeatedly criticized AEG Live since shortly after his son's death — accuses the promoter of agreeing to pay Murray vastly more than he was making so that it could exert control over his medical decisions.

Joe Jackson's filing cites a 2008 income declaration by Murray in a child support proceeding in which the cardiologist stated he earned only $3,300 per month.

The Jackson family patriarch is also contemplating a wrongful death lawsuit against Murray.

"When Michael Jackson is just singing and dancing, you just think this is an astonishing talent. And he has had this astounding talent all his life, but we want him to be floored as well. We really don´t like the idea that he could have it all."
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Reply #847 posted 06/17/10 8:30am

Timmy84

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

Randy was once close to death after that car accident he had in, I think, 1980. People kept saying how it was a miracle he was even alive at all (and walking, albeit with some difficulty). I wouldn't wish death on no one. But somehow I won't be surprised if he did succumb. And near the anniversary of his elder brother's death. Weird.

That would be the worst thing smh , people start saying the jacksons have some kind of curse on them.

Like the Kennedys huh? I wouldn't think it was much of a curse, but more of a coincidence, I guess. shrug


Anyway, I haven't heard much of Randy's condition as of this point so I don't know what to think. shrug

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Reply #848 posted 06/17/10 9:05am

Timmy84

So AEG's back to being the brunt of the blame of Mike's death, Joe?

Joe Jackson Continues to Play The Blame Game - Today's Target...AEG Caused Michael Jackson's Death

June 17, 2010 10:37 AM EDT

Joe Jackson should have a cartoon bubble over his head that reads: "There's gotta be some money in this (meaning Michael Jackson's death, of course) somewhere for me. And by God, I'm gonna find it!"

When blaming Katherine Jackson for killing their son (or as Joe said so beautifully "My son" -- meaning, I guess, "my human money machine") didn't work out because Katherine's lawyers fired back, Joe turned his sights elsewhere.

Now before we continue, let us pause and think about this days before Father's Day -- If Joe is this obnoxious to us now -- just in cyberspace -- imagine what he was like in person to Michael - who he thinks owed him everything - literally? Ok - just sayin'.

Now in Joe's latest hunt treasure hunt, he's blaming AEG - yes, the company behind the "This Is It" tour - for his death, according to TMZ.

See, if they had provided all of the medical equipment and support Dr. Conrad Murray (I know -- but seriously -- stay with us here) had wanted, Michael wouldn't be dead (is that the distant sound of a cash register ringing?) -- or so says Joe.

So why would a company have to provide life saving equipment for someone deemed a healthy person? Why would Michael not be responsible for his own health since he was of sound mind?

What would Joe -- who Michael loathed (sorry fans who think otherwise) - be entitled to money from his death?

Ah, so many questions.

The main question though -- can anyone, please, make Joe just go away?

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Reply #849 posted 06/17/10 9:24am

EmeraldSkies

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Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is proud to present a spectacular, multi-media, live performance honoring the greatest entertainer of all time, Michael Jackson, on this very special first anniversary. KING MICHAEL - TRIBUTE TO THE KING OF POP on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 8pm features three talented artists - MICHAEL FIRESTONE, PETE CARTER and IVAN KELLEY aka LIL MAN -- who will portray Michael at different stages of his amazing career, mastering his unique dancing to perform such hits as "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Thriller," "Smooth Criminal" and "Earth Song." Supplying electrifying solos and super-rich harmonies to Michael's hits will be the fabulous Harlem GospeLive. The show features an all-star dance company, DJs, video jockeys and master percussionists in newly expanded, never before seen tributes.

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is on the campus of Lehman College/CUNY at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468. Tickets for KING MICHAEL - TRIBUTE TO THE KING OF POP on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 8pm are: $45, $35, $25 and $20 and can be purchased by calling the Lehman Center box office at 718.960.8833 (Mon. through Fri., 10am-5pm, Tues. 10am-7pm, and beginning at 12 noon on the day of the concert), or through 24-hour online access at www.LehmanCenter.org. Lehman Center is accessible by #4 or D train to Bedford Park Blvd. and is off the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Major Deegan Expressway. Free on-site parking is available.

Michael Firestone (MJ Impersonator, Live Singing and Dancing) learned, as a child, to imitate every move and vocal vibration of his idol, Michael Jackson. He performed Jackson's songs in shows throughout his adolescence. As an adult, he moved to Las Vegas and began a career impersonating the King of Pop. Prior to Jackson's untimely death, Firestone had performed as a Michael Jackson tribute artist in such live shows as "MTV Magic" and "Around the World" in Asia as well as "Legends in Concert" in Myrtle Beach, "La Cage" and "Masquerade" in Atlantic City, "Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular" and the Asian variety show "The Bon Show." Since Jackson's passing, Firestone has become one of the most respected and sought-after Michael Jackson tribute artists, performing memorial shows and tributes in Las Vegas and around the country. He was one of two official Michael Jackson impersonators chosen for the "Michael Jackson Laser Spectacular" shows in theaters and casinos all over the US and Canada.

Pete Carter (MJ Impersonator, Live Dancing) has been thrilling audiences as Michael Jackson ever since he was a child. At just 8 years old, he would dance in front of his idol on the TV screen, as his mother sewed replica Michael Jackson costumes. For the past 10 years, Carter has been professionally impersonating the King of Pop for audiences all across the country. In June 2003, he had the honor to sit down with the King himself, who complimented Carter on his costumes and thanked him. Later that year, he was invited to Neverland Ranch on two separate occasions and met the entire Jackson family. Since then Carter has worked with Madame Tussauds, Guinness and Sony BMG on behalf of Jackson. In April 2009, Carter got to spend what would be his final moments with Michael Jackson. He asked Michael to autograph his back in black Sharpie, and then got it permanently tattooed on later that night. Last June, Carter attended Jackson's memorial service at the Staples Center.

Ivan Kelley aka Lil' Man (Young Singing, Dancing MJ) is reminiscent of an early Michael Jackson. Born Ivan Kelley Cousin Jr., Lil Man, is indeed a child prodigy. His father, Ivan Kelley Cousin, Sr., sang professionally for over two decades. With his own undeniable talent, Lil Man performed in his first talent showcase at age seven and has continued to cultivate his craft, performing all over the United States with such stars as Acon, and appearing recently on the "Ellen Degeneres" show. With flawless delivery and pitch, his voice is distinctively laced with soul and has earned the adoration of fans across the globe.

Harlem GospeLive, started by producer and singer Maurice Lynch combining the concept of Gospel with cabaret and jazz, premiered at the Blue Note in NYC and has continued to dazzle and delight audiences around the world.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts.


http://www.broadwayworld....6_20100525

This sounded really neat till I started looking up the impersonators. neutral

Michael Firestone- http://www.myspace.com/kingofpoplive lol

Pete Carter- http://www.freewebs.com/n...photos.htm disbelief lol

Ivan Kelly aka Lil' Man- http://ivankelley.com/fea...music.html He's cute,but still no Michael,but definately better than the other two. nod

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~Berthold Auerbach
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Reply #850 posted 06/17/10 5:46pm

Swa

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On March 5, 2009,when music legend Michael Jacksonannounced that he would perform a run of 50 concerts at London's O2 Arena in a comeback tour called This Is It, the media largely greeted the news with skepticism and derision.

The Guardian wrote that a quickly erected stage at the press conference "served only to heighten Jackson's physical weirdness--the sunken cheeks, the upturned nose, the overpronounced chin cleft." The Telegraph described his behavior as "bizarre," and so many rumors circulated about his ill health that the tour's promoter, AEG, was forced to issue a statement that Jackson had undergone a battery of tests to prove he was in condition to play the dates.

Following his acquittal in 2005 on charges of sexual abuse, Jackson had spent much of his time in seclusion--at his Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara, Calif.; in Bahrain; in Ireland; in Las Vegas--emerging only, it seemed, to fend off financial ruin, either through ill-fated recording projects or embarrassing public divestitures. Many saw the concerts as little more than a desperate, money-raising gambit.

Despite his ability to sell out 50 arena dates, the King of Pop was seen, even by some of his supporters, as little more than a hallowed oldies act, a performer whose heyday, albeit phenomenal, was more than two decades in the past. To his detractors, though, Jackson was even less than that: either a laughingstock--"Wacko Jacko"--or worse: a freak, a deviant, a pariah.

Flash forward 15 months, and Jackson's image in the public consciousness has undergone a dramatic revision. In the days, weeks and months following his death on June 25, 2009, from drug-related cardiac arrest, a popular reclaiming of Jackson as a beloved, once-in-a-lifetime musical genius took hold. While cable-news pundits endlessly pored over the tawdry circumstances of his demise, millions of fans new and old simply shrugged their shoulders and happily popped in their "Thriller" CDs.

In July, Jackson regained his spot at the top of the Billboard sales charts, moving 422,000 units in the week after his death alone--to date, the Jackson catalog has sold 9 million copies in the year since he passed, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Spontaneously, kids from Bed-Stuy to Beijing were seen sporting bootleg "Thriller" T-shirts and blaring "Billie Jean" as if it were 1983 and Reagan was in the White House.

In the fall, the film of Jackson's rehearsals for the mocked This Is It tour became the highest-grossing concert movie of all time, earning $72 million at the U.S. box office, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com. (The soundtrack to "This Is It," Sony Music's only release of new Jackson material since his death, has sold 1.6 million copies.)

In March, the Jackson estate, led by co-executors John Branca and John McClain, signed a 10-album, $250 million deal with Sony that will include the release of a collection of previously unreleased tracks, set for November, as well as repackages of Jackson's 1979 solo breakthrough, "Off the Wall," and his 1987 album, "Bad." One month later, Cirque du Soleil, which had created the Beatles' show "Love" to great acclaim, announced it would produce both a touring and permanent show based on Jackson's music.

The African-American community, too, has re-embraced Jackson, whose skin bleaching, sexual ambiguity and crossover dreams had alienated some of his staunchest supporters: Just last week, when Harlem's prestigious Schomburg Center for Research held a symposium on Jackson titled "After the Dance: Conversations on Michael Jackson's Black America," the assembled scholars and writers declared the space a "Wacko Jacko-free zone."

And, of course, artists from all musical backgrounds have paid genuine and loving tribute to Jackson, from Will.i.am posting a video on his blog thanking Jackson for his music, to John Mayer, who told People magazine, "We don't have to reconcile the Michael Jackson we love with another Michael Jackson. In a way, he has returned to pristine condition in death. We can be free now for the rest of our lives to love the Michael Jackson we used to love."

So how did Jackson's complicated legacy become, to quote Mayer, pristine? When both fans and experts discuss the troubled last decade of Jackson's life, it's now in softer terms, with the artist portrayed less as an agent of his own demise than as a victim of a colluding set of circumstances--abusive family, circumspect entourage, incomprehensible pressures of fame--that would have felled anyone, no less a fragile man-child like Jackson.

Not wanting to speak ill of the dead is a human and rational desire--once someone is gone, he or she is unable to defend him- or herself. But the changed tone of the conversation surrounding Jackson has done more than just remedy some of the damage inflicted by his years of weird-to-aberrant behavior; it has also created a series of enormous business opportunities for his estate, opportunities that in all likelihood wouldn't have emerged had Jackson lived.

(part 1)

"I'm not human I'm a dove, I'm ur conscience. I am love"
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Reply #851 posted 06/17/10 5:47pm

Swa

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(part 2)

That the public's perception of Jackson has changed in a profound and positive way isn't just a casual, anecdotal opinion. According to Brand Asset Consulting's quarterly survey of more than 16,000 Americans, after his death, Jackson's relevance increased 125%, and his esteem increased 32% from the previous quarter the survey was administered, prior to his passing. Jackson's brand asset rank also doubled from quarter to quarter, rising from 314 out of 2,519 brands to 165 out of 2,577 brands.

While there were a number of explanations offered for the shift, a few stand out and were mentioned several times by experts interviewed for this story. The success of the film "This Is It" helped drive the brand forward by presenting Jackson not as a bizarre and spectral recluse, but as a talented
artist, dancer and even a workaholic.

Closer to home, the sight of 11-year-old Paris eulogizing her father at the memorial service--"I just wanted to say ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine," she said simply- helped to humanize Jackson and to counter the perception of him as a neglectful, unfit parent.

Prior to his death, only a handful of people had ever seen Jackson's three children--Paris, now 12; Prince, 13; and Blanket, 8--and they were best-known for being covered when they were outside (or, at one point, dangled off a balcony). But now here were these grieving children who appeared polite, pleasant and normal. In interviews after his death, insiders emphasized that Jackson's children were well cared for and well raised, and the video and photo evidence released by the family in the past year seems to bear this out.

"Anyone who had doubts about Michael's ability as a parent, those were erased at the memorial," says Randy Taraborrelli, a Jackson biographer who had known the star since the '70s. "Seeing those kids gave some people a sense that they had misjudged him, that he was a good parent." Diane Dimond, a journalist who has covered Jackson for many years and who broke the story of the 1993 molestation allegations against the singer, says Jackson's family is being savvy about the children's exposure. "The family is smart to put them out there every once in a while," she says. "The Jacksons are masters of PR, and it sends a great message to show the world these nice, normal kids."

Jackson's most damning scandals centered around inappropriate behavior with children, and thus his own seemingly well-adjusted offspring serve as a sharp rebuke to the allegations of sexual abuse that plagued Jackson for much of his adult life. But the fact that Jackson was judged on his children also speaks to another issue--the feminization of Jackson, both before and after his death.

Sarah Churchwell, author of "The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe," says that as with Monroe, death rewrote Jackson's story. And unlike other gone-too-soon celebrities like Elvis Presley or James Dean, Monroe and Jackson are seen as victims, unable to defend themselves against the public's ravenous appetite
for celebrity.

"Both Marilyn and Michael, and to a certain extent Princess Diana, are seen as falling prey to the manipulations of others," she says. "They don't really have any agency when it comes to the problems that ultimately led to their demise--no one wants to blame them for making bad decisions and mistakes, because it protects the mystique. People see them as being childlike and want to protect them."

Churchwell adds that larger power dynamics are also at play. "If Madonnadied tomorrow, the grief would be different," she says. "She is a woman who is seen as being very powerful and in control--she's not a tragic figure. If you are sufficiently powerful, the public doesn't love you in the same way."

"I'm not human I'm a dove, I'm ur conscience. I am love"
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Reply #852 posted 06/17/10 5:48pm

Swa

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(part 3)

Of all his troubled relationships, Jackson's most fraught might have been his connection with the African-American community. But no matter what opinions of him were before his passing, many lapsed admirers have re-embraced Jackson.

"There was a huge reservoir of good will among African-Americans for Michael Jackson," says Nelson George, author of the recently released "Thriller: The Musical Life of Michael Jackson." "Generations of kids grew up on his music, and they felt a powerful connection to him. I think a lot of people remained fans, even after all the controversy, but they just weren't open about it. His death unleashed a lot of positive energy and allowed people to be excited about him again."

George says that while many African-American musicians always held Jackson in high regard, opinions began to change around the time Jackson's face began to transform.

"People thought that it was about self-hatred," George says. "In terms of other allegations, there was a belief that he was being railroaded by the media, and the bigger issue was really more his transformation. People felt such a powerful connection to the man he'd been when he was younger and it was hard to see that shift."

BET president of music programming and specials Stephen Hill says Jackson's death put a number of rumors to rest, and that was a key part of his reacceptance. "The questions about his skin ailment were finally answered," he says. "And people again focused on the fact that Michael never stopped donating in a big way to black causes."

Hill says his channel is planning extensive programming around the anniversary of Jackson's passing. BET will air a special episode of its flagship video program, "106th & Park," devoted to playing Jackson's videos and talking to fans and celebrities. The channel is also considering re-airing last year's BET Awards and says it has "very special plans" for the 2010 awards, which will air at 8 p.m. June 27.

"Even though he was more of a tabloid figure in his later years, there is no denying he changed pop culture," Hill says. "And when he did, he brought black people along with him. Berry Gordy's obituary of him said it best--he made some mistakes and some bad choices, but at the end of the day, he really changed things."

"I'm not human I'm a dove, I'm ur conscience. I am love"
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Reply #853 posted 06/17/10 5:49pm

Swa

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(Part 4)

Churchwell cautions that just because people are treading lightly around Jackson's death in the year following his passing doesn't mean he'll get a free pass forever. "Initially, after Marilyn Monroe died, there was a sense of pity," she says. "It took time for Marilyn to evolve into a symbol and for her reputation to change."

One revelation that was made in the immediate wake of Jackson's passing came in Ian Halperin's book, "Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson." Halperin says his book is generally positive, and that his perception of Jackson changed while working on it.

"I started writing about Michael because of a parent who accused him of being inappropriate, and five years later, I changed my mind," he says. "He was a little socially inept, sure, and he liked to play pranks, but I don't think he ever touched kids in a perverted way."

But it was a short section on Jackson's sexuality that ultimately caused some to boycott the book and earned Halperin a handful of death threats. "There were some legitimate claims that Jackson had homosexual relationships with adult men," Halperin says. "People went crazy when that came out. I doubt anyone will say anything derogatory about Michael any time soon, given how crazy his fans went when I wrote something that, honestly, isn't even a bad thing."

The impending trial of Jackson's physician, Conrad Murray, on involuntary manslaughter charges might stir things up, and Taraborrelli predicts there will be "a lot of character assassination, which might be hard for fans to endure." But the fact that Jackson is often portrayed as a victim of doctors like Murray and not as a fully willing participant in his drug addiction might be enough to shift the blame off the star.

Interest in Jackson's quirks and proclivities will probably just fade over time, according to branding consultant Rob Frankel. "Have you heard any new Elvis jokes in the past several years?" he asks. "If I made the joke about Mama Cass choking on the ham sandwich to a younger person, they wouldn't get it. People don't really remember those things."

"I'm not human I'm a dove, I'm ur conscience. I am love"
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Reply #854 posted 06/17/10 5:50pm

Swa

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(part 5)

In some respects, the public's opinion of Jackson had begun to shift even before his death.

"Thriller: The Musical" premiered in London in 2006 and was performed in a handful of other European countries before returning to the Lyric Theater in London in January 2009. The show received several positive reviews and was well-attended enough to extend its run well into 2010.

Interest was high in Jackson's comeback concert series, and AEG felt confident enough in the public's desire to see the star that it booked the O2 Arena for 50 nights. (Even in his later years, Jackson largely maintained his popularity overseas, particularly in emerging markets.)

While the deal to create two Cirque du Soleil performances using Jackson's music was finalized after his death, Cirque CEO Daniel Lamarre says the process started before Jackson passed on.

"He was a big fan and came up to our offices in Montreal to visit," he says. "We would still be doing it if he was alive today. Now, we are constantly thinking, 'How would Michael have done this?' It would have been an honor to work with him."

One question that looms large for Jackson's estate, just as it has for the estates of Elvis Presley and John Lennon, is how to extend public good will and grow Jackson's legacy while avoiding any appearance of exploitation. (Representatives for Sony Music, and for Jackson's attorney, John Branca, declined to comment for this story.)

Adam Hanft, a marketing and branding expert and chief executive at Hanft Projects in New York, says he would give the family and the estate a C+ grade in terms of their management of the Jackson brand so far.

"I'm not so worried about the family looking greedy, because part of Michael's narrative was that he was raised by a father who exploited him at every turn, and it makes the public even more sympathetic," he says.

"The one thing they really need to do is work on continuing the emotional connection with his fans," Hanft adds. "I looked at MichaelJackson.com, and it's just a sales platform; it's an example of what not to do. There are so many outlets and social media platforms for fans to participate, and they need to embrace some of those."

But Tony Gumina, head of the Ray Charles Marketing Group, believes the family and the estate have done an excellent job. "With all the offers that have come in, they have been very selective and taken their time," he says. "The big challenge is always staying true to the artist's wishes, and I think they have kept the integrity of the brand intact. Nothing they have done seems like they've done it just for the money. They've managed to strike the perfect balance between being important and being cool."

Hanft adds that it will take a while for mainstream brands to embrace Jackson, but it will happen eventually. "It'll take a brand like Nike, who after all did stay with Tiger Woods, to cross Michael back into the mainstream branding community," he says. "It'll take someone who is a little edgy and willing to take some heat to get the ball rolling."

"The messaging has to continue to be about his musical genius," says Hope Boonshaft, executive VP/GM at public relations and public affairs consultancy Hill & Knowlton. "They need to keep the brand top of mind for the public and keep the memory of his talent out there."

"I'm not human I'm a dove, I'm ur conscience. I am love"
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Reply #855 posted 06/17/10 5:51pm

Swa

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Rather than post another 5 pages from Billboard - here is a great link to the facts and figures of Michaels Music.

http://www.billboard.com/features/michael-jackson-the-billboard-cover-story-1004098778.story?tag=hpfeed#/features/1004098667.story

"I'm not human I'm a dove, I'm ur conscience. I am love"
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Reply #856 posted 06/17/10 5:53pm

Swa

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FOR USA FANS

Multiple networks are loading up on specialMichael Jackson programming to mark the one-year anniversary of his death on June 25.

MTV has several specials planned in his honor, including "Michael Jackson's Top 10 Video Countdown," set to air on June 25 and again the next day, as well as a two-hour block of Jackson videos on June 26.

The music channel will also run the one-hour special "Michael Jackson's Influence on Music," which spotlights artists that have been inspired by the King of Pop's songs, choreography and style, on June 25.

Meanwhile, MTV's sister network VH1 will air the five-hour 1992 telepic "The Jacksons: An American Dream," and E! Entertainment Television's June 25 schedule includes "E! True Hollywood Story: Michael Jackson," "E! Investigates: The Last Days of Michael Jackson" and the special "Michael Jackson," each one-hour long.

TV Guide Network, which recently acquired the documentary "Michael Jackson: Gone Too Soon," from Shine Intl., will air the two-hour film along with the specials "Michael Jackson's Entourage: Where Are They Now" and "Michael Jackson: His Family Dynasty," as well as a special edition of "Hollywood 411."

Music-themed cable network Fuse has two new MJ specials on deck, "Michael Jackson: The Inside Story" and "Michael Jackson: A Tribute," on June 25.

So far, ABC News is the lone network news division set to give up its June 25 primetime for Jackson. News magazine "20/20" will feature a new two-hour report chronicling the ongoing investigation into Jackson's death, as well as how his children are adjusting without their father.

The "20/20" special will also include interviews with Jackson's personal makeup artist, his stylists, and what the network calls a "new tour" of Neverland Ranch.

"I'm not human I'm a dove, I'm ur conscience. I am love"
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Reply #857 posted 06/17/10 5:54pm

Swa

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TV Special Gives Inside Look at the Hidden Life of Michael Jackson's Kids

Michael Jackson wasn't the kind of dad you'd catch flipping burgers on the barbecue.

But cable channel TLC is out to prove that -- despite all the weirdness that enveloped his world -- Jackson was the kind of father they make phone-company commercials about.

Prince, Paris and Blanket, who are now 13, 12 and 8 years old, get their first, unauthorized TV special -- "Hidden Lives of Michael Jackson's Children" -- Father's Day night.

But the network means "Hidden" in a good way, it seems.

"I think people are always going to say that [Jackson was strange]," says executive producer Wendy Douglas. "But I feel that if they . . . see some of the things he did with his kids, I hope they think a little less of that.

SLIDESHOW: Michael Jackson's Kids Step Into Spotlight

"They'll say he was a little weird, but was also a very hands-on father."

The special, airing at 9 p.m., comes on the one-year anniversary of Jackson's death (June 25). It features behind-the-scenes footage seen before only in snippets -- including Jacko helping Prince recite his "ABCs" and playing chess with his oldest son.

The show has its tabloid moments, like former child actor Mark Lester saying that Jacko asked him to make a "donation" to help conceive Paris.

But the point of the special is that the kids behind the dark veils and (sometimes grotesque) masks were fairly average children.

SLIDESHOW: Scenes From the Life and Death of Michael Jackson

"Footage of Michael and his kids was always protected. He never liked to release it," says Douglas. "We were shocked we had this intimate footage, and I love it because it shows how much of a great father he is.

"You'll actually see how hands-on he was and how close he was to his children."

While no one interviewed on Sunday's special doubts that Jackson loved his kids, his child-rearing methods (including the veils and masks) are questioned by some -- including Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth, who covered Jackson's 1993 child molestation case (eventually settled out-of-court).

(Orth's late husband, Tim Russert, hosted "Meet the Press" for NBC, which produced this special under its Peacock Productions banner.)

The true paternity of Jackson's children is also cautiously questioned. Lester admits that he could be Paris's father, but adds that "it doesn't really matter," since Jackson was her father in every other sense of the word.

Missing are interviews with any of the kids themselves.

"As you can imagine, that was something that would have been really challenging and difficult to get," Douglas says.

"I'm not human I'm a dove, I'm ur conscience. I am love"
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Reply #858 posted 06/17/10 8:38pm

bboy87

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Swa said:

Rather than post another 5 pages from Billboard - here is a great link to the facts and figures of Michaels Music.

http://www.billboard.com/features/michael-jackson-the-billboard-cover-story-1004098778.story?tag=hpfeed#/features/1004098667.story

Wow, Billboard doesn't really like to do their research lol

"We may deify or demonize them but not ignore them. And we call them genius, because they are the people who change the world."
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Reply #859 posted 06/17/10 11:00pm

Swa

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bboy87 said:

Swa said:

Rather than post another 5 pages from Billboard - here is a great link to the facts and figures of Michaels Music.

http://www.billboard.com/features/michael-jackson-the-billboard-cover-story-1004098778.story?tag=hpfeed#/features/1004098667.story

Wow, Billboard doesn't really like to do their research lol

Why do you say that? I thought their rationale for the list made sense - but it did surprise me that songs that charted at #2 were sometimes ranked higher than ones that were number #1's.

I did appreciate that there were videos for each song.

Swa

"I'm not human I'm a dove, I'm ur conscience. I am love"
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Reply #860 posted 06/17/10 11:23pm

bboy87

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Swa said:

bboy87 said:

Wow, Billboard doesn't really like to do their research lol

Why do you say that? I thought their rationale for the list made sense - but it did surprise me that songs that charted at #2 were sometimes ranked higher than ones that were number #1's.

I did appreciate that there were videos for each song.

Swa

My mistake, I got a bit mixed up lol

Although I disagree with Billboard using Dimond and Halperin as sources

"We may deify or demonize them but not ignore them. And we call them genius, because they are the people who change the world."
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Reply #861 posted 06/18/10 12:31am

EmeraldSkies

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Billboard: 'Say Say Say' most popular Jackson song

AP, Jun 17, 2010 3:24 pm PDT
Michael Jackson had dozens of hits, but his most popular one wasn't a solo smash or a tune with his brothers. It was a song with another icon.

Billboard says "Say Say Say," his 1983 hit with Paul McCartney, is the most popular Jackson song. That was followed by "Billie Jean," the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There," "Beat It" and "Rock with You."

"Billie Jean" was at No. 1 for seven weeks, while "Say Say Say" held the top spot for six weeks. But the McCartney-Jackson hit stayed in the top 10 longer.

Billboard is releasing Jackson statistics ahead of the anniversary of the King of Pop's death. He died June 25, 2009, at age 50.

http://new.music.yahoo.co...--62002652

I like the song Say Say Say,but I think I am going to have to disagree with it being Michael's most popular song.

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~Berthold Auerbach
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Reply #862 posted 06/18/10 4:39am

MOL

Swa said:

The impending trial of Jackson's physician, Conrad Murray, on involuntary manslaughter charges might stir things up, and Taraborrelli predicts there will be "a lot of character assassination, which might be hard for fans to endure." But the fact that Jackson is often portrayed as a victim of doctors like Murray and not as a fully willing participant in his drug addiction might be enough to shift the blame off the star.

The junkie image has stick.

Now the public can had one more concept to the wacky-demented-racist-monster-pedophile one. He is now seen as a wacky-demented-racist-monster-JUNKIE-pedophile. It doesn't humanize him, Swa, as you so eloquently excused: it demonizes him. Even more.

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Reply #863 posted 06/18/10 6:52am

AshK

Swa said:

Gladly standing corrected on the MJ game front. Seems like a full singing/dancing game on the way.

Jackson gets new life in video game

Posted 1 hour 7 minutes ago

Michael Jackson

Players will learn and emulate Michael Jackson's dance moves. (AFP)

French video game titan Ubisoft is making a game that lets players "step into the shoes" of legendary King of Pop Michael Jackson.

Ubisoft chief executive Yves Guillemot unveiled the game Beat It - the title of one of Jackson's most famous songs - with the help of a high-energy dance team at a press conference in Los Angeles late on Monday (US time).

"I am very happy because we have signed a legend," Guillemot said of the deal with Jackson's estate.

The game will combine Jackson's music with his renowned dance moves, calling on players to learn and emulate the King of Pop's skills.

Players will also be able to sing along to Jackson songs including Billie Jean and Beat It and have their vocal performances rated by the game.

"Michael always pushed every limit when it came to technology to give his fans unforgettable entertainment experiences, whether it involved his videos, his recordings or his concerts," said John Branca, co-executor of Jackson's estate.

"Now, with this interactive product, we have the chance to bring Michael the artist into households around the world in a perfect match of Michael's artistry and the family entertainment which he always highly valued."

The title will be playable on most video game consoles and hand-held gaming devices.

A version being made for Kinect gesture-based controls for Microsoft Xbox 360 consoles will use cameras to put players virtually into the game with Jackson.

"This game is a natural extension of what he would be doing today to raise his artistry to even greater heights for his fans of all generations," said John McClain, co-executor of Jackson's estate.

"It is a game that the entire family can experience and enjoy together and this is something that would please Michael tremendously."

During his extraordinary career, Jackson sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 number one US singles and became one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

His Thriller album is the world's bestselling album of all time with more than 110 million copies sold.

Jackson died suddenly on June 25, 2009.

- AFP

thumbs up! Sounds like fun. I'd still prefer an update of Moonwalker though, I loved that game!

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Reply #864 posted 06/18/10 8:43am

Vanilli

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People LOVE to defend Michael the artist but trash Michael the person and it just isn't that fair. The artist so many people claim to love and hail as genius, is the same person who they want to call a junkie now. YOU CAN'T SEPARATE THEM DOWN THE MIDDLE THAT. IT IS THE SAME PERSON. GOD THE MEDIA IS JUST AS SICKENING WHEN MJ WAS ALIVE AS NOW THAT HE IS GONE.

MJ Fan 1992-Forever

My Org Family: Cinnie, bboy87, Cinnamon234, AnckSuNamun, lilgish, thekidsgirl, thesexofit, Universaluv, theSpark, littlemissG, ThreadCula, badujunkie, DANGEROUSx, Timmy84, MikeMatronik, DarlingDiana, dag, Nvncible1
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Reply #865 posted 06/18/10 10:41am

kibbles

MOL said:

alphastreet said:

MOL, from day one I was saying Joseph killed this man too. People seem to have amnesia and forgot that he was trying to sue him before his death, and if Murray didn't kill him from the drugs, Joe would have killed Michael from the stress eventually.

I hope Randy feels better soon, but I hope I don't hear anything twisted from TMZ like Murray being involved, the story just gets crazier each day though I still miss him so much sad

The saddest thing is that Joseph was sueing Michael for THIRTY MILLIONS. Besides, if the lawsuit had gone anywhere, the TII would have been boycotted. Worse: as soon as MJ was pronounced dead, Leonard Rowe sued him for...300 millions. Needless to say, Joe was behind everything.

However, It seems, though, that anyone, here, who says a bad thing towards Joseph is immediately labed an "hater" who doesn't know how to distinguish old school from abuse.

May this man, just like Randy BTW, die as soon as possible. God's forgiveness-meter for these guys is exploding.

i have to say that i am just as confused about katherine. i read over at friedman's blog that she's writing a book with ... wait for it ... marc shaeffel, one of the parasites who was around toward the end of mj's life. (they claim it's not for money and anyone who believes that i have a bridge in ny i'd like to sell you). this is why i say i don't hold out very much hope for mj's kids in the long run. the same self-interested, money grubbing greed will be visited upon them as it was on their dad. why would katherine allow this man back into the jackson fold? schaeffel's interest is in ultimately getting to those kids and profitting off of them. they were too young to know who this man really is, and because of that, i doubt mj talked to them about everything he went thru with him, so the person they should be relying upon to 'keep them safe' is the one person schaeffel is going to use to get to them. but then again, she did allow joe to use the kids to promote his unauthorized belts, didn't she? neutral
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Reply #866 posted 06/18/10 11:25am

NaughtyKitty

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Exclusive: Michael Jackson’s Mother, Katherine, Will Publish Book on Monday By: Roger Friedman in Books, Celebrity // June 18th, 2010 at 11:18 AM EDT Michael Jackson’s devoted mother, Katherine Jackson, will publish a book next week about her son. The self published coffee table book–consisting of personal photographs–is called “Never Can Say Goodbye: The Katherine Jackson Archives.” The book will be sold through a website called www.vintagepopmedia.com. “She’s very proud of the book,” says a source. “It’s not being done for money, either.” This much seems true, as such a book could have fetched a big advance. But “Never Can Say Goodbye” is being self-published. Its content is a picture page facing a page of reminiscences by Michael’s mom. To promote the book, yesterday Katherine gave a two hour interview to Marc Schaffel, Jackson’s former business partner and confidante. For Schaffel, this was the Michael Jackson trifecta. He’s the only person who has done authorized video interviews with Michael Jackson, Debbie Rowe, and now Katherine. On the eve of the one year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, Katherine was driven to Schaffel’s home, where they conducted the interview. They talked about what the last year has been like, the children,memories of Michael over the years. She did not talk about husband Joe Jackson directly, but she did say that she was concerned that the media twisted what the family said. Katherine talked about the child molestation charges against Michael over the years. She told Schaffel she felt people were out to get Michael. She said that in the 1993 case she felt the boy’s father and stepfather put him up to it. Katherine says she thought the boy–Jordan Chandler–whom she doesn’t name–wanted to recant his story last summer, especially after his father, Evan Chandler, committed suicide. http://www.showbiz411.com...-on-monday confused
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Reply #867 posted 06/18/10 12:13pm

dag

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NaughtyKitty said:

Exclusive: Michael Jackson’s Mother, Katherine, Will Publish Book on Monday By: Roger Friedman in Books, Celebrity // June 18th, 2010 at 11:18 AM EDT Michael Jackson’s devoted mother, Katherine Jackson, will publish a book next week about her son. The self published coffee table book–consisting of personal photographs–is called “Never Can Say Goodbye: The Katherine Jackson Archives.” The book will be sold through a website called www.vintagepopmedia.com. “She’s very proud of the book,” says a source. “It’s not being done for money, either.” This much seems true, as such a book could have fetched a big advance. But “Never Can Say Goodbye” is being self-published. Its content is a picture page facing a page of reminiscences by Michael’s mom. To promote the book, yesterday Katherine gave a two hour interview to Marc Schaffel, Jackson’s former business partner and confidante. For Schaffel, this was the Michael Jackson trifecta. He’s the only person who has done authorized video interviews with Michael Jackson, Debbie Rowe, and now Katherine. On the eve of the one year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, Katherine was driven to Schaffel’s home, where they conducted the interview. They talked about what the last year has been like, the children,memories of Michael over the years. She did not talk about husband Joe Jackson directly, but she did say that she was concerned that the media twisted what the family said. Katherine talked about the child molestation charges against Michael over the years. She told Schaffel she felt people were out to get Michael. She said that in the 1993 case she felt the boy’s father and stepfather put him up to it. Katherine says she thought the boy–Jordan Chandler–whom she doesn’t name–wanted to recant his story last summer, especially after his father, Evan Chandler, committed suicide. http://www.showbiz411.com...-on-monday confused

By Roger Friedman....ok, we´ll see.

"When Michael Jackson is just singing and dancing, you just think this is an astonishing talent. And he has had this astounding talent all his life, but we want him to be floored as well. We really don´t like the idea that he could have it all."
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Reply #868 posted 06/18/10 12:44pm

mookie

kibbles said:

MOL said:

The saddest thing is that Joseph was sueing Michael for THIRTY MILLIONS. Besides, if the lawsuit had gone anywhere, the TII would have been boycotted. Worse: as soon as MJ was pronounced dead, Leonard Rowe sued him for...300 millions. Needless to say, Joe was behind everything.

However, It seems, though, that anyone, here, who says a bad thing towards Joseph is immediately labed an "hater" who doesn't know how to distinguish old school from abuse.

May this man, just like Randy BTW, die as soon as possible. God's forgiveness-meter for these guys is exploding.

i have to say that i am just as confused about katherine. i read over at friedman's blog that she's writing a book with ... wait for it ... marc shaeffel, one of the parasites who was around toward the end of mj's life. (they claim it's not for money and anyone who believes that i have a bridge in ny i'd like to sell you). this is why i say i don't hold out very much hope for mj's kids in the long run. the same self-interested, money grubbing greed will be visited upon them as it was on their dad. why would katherine allow this man back into the jackson fold? schaeffel's interest is in ultimately getting to those kids and profitting off of them. they were too young to know who this man really is, and because of that, i doubt mj talked to them about everything he went thru with him, so the person they should be relying upon to 'keep them safe' is the one person schaeffel is going to use to get to them. but then again, she did allow joe to use the kids to promote his unauthorized belts, didn't she? neutral

I got sick when I saw this earlier. I just don't get what is the deal with this family and leeches. That's why I say it's inevitable that the kids are going to be exploited. No way with this familly they're not at some point going be taken advantage by folks.

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Reply #869 posted 06/18/10 1:30pm

greatpink

mookie said:

kibbles said:

i have to say that i am just as confused about katherine. i read over at friedman's blog that she's writing a book with ... wait for it ... marc shaeffel, one of the parasites who was around toward the end of mj's life. (they claim it's not for money and anyone who believes that i have a bridge in ny i'd like to sell you). this is why i say i don't hold out very much hope for mj's kids in the long run. the same self-interested, money grubbing greed will be visited upon them as it was on their dad. why would katherine allow this man back into the jackson fold? schaeffel's interest is in ultimately getting to those kids and profitting off of them. they were too young to know who this man really is, and because of that, i doubt mj talked to them about everything he went thru with him, so the person they should be relying upon to 'keep them safe' is the one person schaeffel is going to use to get to them. but then again, she did allow joe to use the kids to promote his unauthorized belts, didn't she? neutral

I got sick when I saw this earlier. I just don't get what is the deal with this family and leeches. That's why I say it's inevitable that the kids are going to be exploited. No way with this familly they're not at some point going be taken advantage by folks.

Actually what MOLL has been saying here since months is truth... (The facts are correct, so far).

I only wish she/he'd make her statements less passionate and less personal. Wishing anyone's death is just not cool shrug

(...but yeah, I got an uncomfortable feeling that Katherine had used to be far bigger evil in MJ's life than ol' fool "straightout" Joe.

No offences, please)

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