[Fennris]

All sources are reporting that the King of Pop is dead.....

[Olga_S]

No... really ???????
When that happened ?
Update: I'm watching CNN. F'ck, it's so freakin sad.

[Fennris]

A short while ago.

[silverfriends0730]

I was just talking about this on my forum... and how horrible that both Farrah Fawcett AND Michael Jackson died today... truly grim day.

[Olga_S]

still can't believe that.

[XxThatGirlxX]

Rest In Peace Michael Jackson...

Gone But Never Forgotten... I can only send all my prayers to his family, and especially to his 3 children

Today, we lost a truly amazing man....but we gained an even more amazing Angel x


x

[Allen]

Sad day....

Quote

Michael Jackson dies at 50




By Steve Jones, USA TODAY
On a magical night in 1983, Michael Jackson struck a pose on stage, clasping the black fedora on his head with his white sequined glove. His black jacket and silver vest glittered as white socks showed under his high-water black pants. Then he erupted into a flurry of fluid dance moves in a performance of Billie Jean that would catapult the former child singing sensation into full-blown superstardom.

Probably no celebrity has been as revered and reviled over the past 40 years as Jackson, 50, who died Thursday in Los Angeles. The troubled, reclusive star was rushed to UCLA Medical Center by paramedics responding to a call from his home at about 12:30 p.m.

Jackson had been scheduled next month to begin the first of 50 sold-out concerts at London's O2 Arena, a testament to his enduring popularity with fans around the world, a love affair that reached a peak on that March evening 26 years ago.

The occasion was the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever television special that celebrated a milestone for the legendary label, but it was also a seminal moment for the King of Pop. A then-record 47 million people watched in awe as Jackson unveiled the moonwalk with an electrifying performance. Other Motown greats performed that night and Jackson himself had reunited with brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy for a walk down memory lane with the Jackson 5.

But in that moment, Jackson stood alone in the spotlight, a singular figure riding a wave of popularity rarely seen anywhere. His groundbreaking Thriller— still the biggest selling album of all time — was dominating the charts and Jackson was in the process of reshaping the musical landscape with his videos and celebrity. There were still millions of records to be sold, acclaimed videos to be filmed and record-shattering concert tours to undertaken.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Super Bowl | Sony | Britney Spears | Michael Jackson | Justin Timberlake | Chris Brown | Kanye West | Elvis Presley | Jay-Z | Usher | R. Kelly | Akon | MTV | Thriller | Lisa Marie Presley | Dangerous | Billie Jean | Sony Music Entertainment | Tommy Mottola | Beat It | Super Bowl XXVII | I Want You Back | Smooth Criminal

It was also before years of tabloid exposes, bizarre behavior, artistic flops, financial crises, health issues and child sex abuse scandals tarnished his image. His run of triumphs in the 1980s, in addition to Thriller, included the blockbuster albums Off the Wall and Bad.

Since he first arrived on the scene in 1969 as the cherubic 11-year-old phenom leading the teen heartthrob J5 singing I Want You Back, Jackson has been at the forefront of pop culture.

He transformed pop music, becoming the first African-American singer to gain mass crossover appeal. The premiere of videos for songs likeBeat It, Billie Jean, Thriller, Bad andSmooth Criminalwere major events and he helped popularize the then-fledgling MTV. It, in turn, brought him into millions of homes daily.

Thriller won a record eight Grammy Awards in 1984. Virtually every song became a hit single and it changed the industry's thinking about how albums were put together and marketed. It also opened the door for artists to have more creative freedom and higher royalty returns. At the same time, he inspired legions of imitators and a line of dolls and accessories.

He spent his life under the glare of paparazzi flashbulbs, but in recent years, he has more often been the subject of negative news about his eccentricities and personal life. Jackson's seemingly charmed life started to change when a pyrotechnics accident during the filming of a Pepsi ad set his hair afire and burned his scalp. He got outpouring of sympathy after that and won a $1.5 million settlement from Pepsi, which he donated to charity.

But his health also became a public fascination, especially as he began to change his appearance through plastic surgery. He had several nose jobs, his lips thinned, and chin clef put in, among other alterations. Meanwhile, Jackson's brown skin grew progressively lighter, rumored to be the result of skin bleaching, but later diagnosed as vitiligo. The skin disorder causes a loss of pigment.

Jackson himself fueled gossip column by leaking false stories that he slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, reportedly to slow the aging process, or next to the bones of Joseph Merrick, the 19th century Englishman known as "The Elephant Man" because of his congenital deformities.

He addressed many of these issues in his 1988 autobiography, Moonwalk, in which he also revealed that he had been physically abused as a child. That same year, he built his $17 million Neverland Ranch near Santa Ynez, Calif., replete with an amusement park and exotic animals.

And while none of his post-Thriller albums matched its success, 1987's Bad, 1991's Dangerous and 1995's HIStory were still commercial successes. Jackson reminded the world again of his power as a artist with an exhilarating halftime performance at 1993's Super Bowl XXVII before a U.S. TV audience of more than 135 million.

But despite such triumphs, curiosity and controversy were his constant companions. Not long after the Super Bowl, he talked his troubled childhood, his virtiligo and other tabloid issues in a wrenching 90-minute televised interview with Oprah Winfrey. Later that year, he was accused of sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy. The stress of that situation led Jackson to become addicted to various painkillers and rather than stand trial, he ultimately settled with the boy's family for $22 million.

His reputation never fully recovered, even when he married singer Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley later that year. They kept their Dominican Republic ceremony secret for nearly two months, and had an amicable parting two years later.

Jackson's 82-concert HIStory World Tour in 1996 was seen by 4.5 million fans. It was his biggest ever, and also his last. It was also during the tour that he married Deborah Rowe, a dermatologist nurse with whom he had two children —Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. They divorced in 1999, with Rowe giving Jackson full custody rights.

Again, this parting proved amicable, but his split with Sony Records— his label since Off The Wall— was anything but. Just before the release of 2001's Invincible, he accused Sony chief Tommy Mottola of being a racist. It was another commercial success, though short of Jackson's standards.

In 2002, Jackson had a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II, who he claims was conceived via the artificial insemination of an unidentified surrogate mother. The tabloids scandalized him again after he dangled the baby over a hotel room balcony.

The following year, he was charged with nine felonies relating to the molestation of a 14-year-old. The charges came after a documentary, Living with Michael Jackson, showed him holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with the boy. Jackson was acquitted of all charges at a highly publicized trial five months later and he left the United States to live in Bahrain as a guest of Sheikh Abdullah, a member of the royal family who had paid Jackson's legal fees. Jackson constantly struggled with his finances after the 2003 trial.

Relations with Abdullah soured recently, with Jackson reaching a settlement in November in the sheikh's $7 million breach-of-contract suit. He had accused Jackson of reneging on a deal to produce an album, an autobiography and a musical for his 2 Seas Records company. Jackson, who earlier in the year was photographed at a Bahrain shopping mall disguised an Arab woman, moved back to California, living in a rented home near the Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills.

In November, Jackson gave up the title to his 2,500-acre Neverland ranch, transferring the deed to a company he partly controls. Jackson had gone into default on the $24.5 million he owes on the property and had faced foreclosure before the real estate investment company Colony Capital bailed him out earlier this year by purchasing his loan.

Jackson's most recent controversy found a spokesperson refuting British tabloid reports that Jackson, who has been seen in a wheelchair and frequently wears a surgical mask on his face, was in dire health suffering from Alpha 1-antitryspsin deficiency, a rare lung disease. The rumors stemmed from an interview given by Ian Halperin, author of an upcoming unauthorized Jackson autobiography.

But despite all of his peccadilloes, Jackson remains a revered figure to those in the record industry. A broad range of pop artists, such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, Akon, Britney Spears, Usher, Justin Timberlake, R.Kelly, Chris Brown, baby sister Janet, and dozens of others cite his influence on their music and even their desire to be entertainers.

Will.i.am, who this year produced three remixes on the celebratory reissue Thriller 25, explained: "It was the first time a black dude was on MTV. It was the first time you saw things that were happening in the ghettos and kids in the suburbs were copying it. It was like Broadway fused with street performance and his wardrobe was fly. He made it possible to be yourself and be free and just do you."

Jackson is a two-time inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Jackson 5 and solo), a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a 13-time Grammy winner, and has 13 solo No. 1 hits and another four with the Jackson 5. Thriller alone sold more than 27 million copies in the USA.

Whether he was wowing fans as a singing/dancing machine, turning heads with his outlandish wardrobes, or alternately amusing or horrifying everyone with his kooky behavior, Jackson could never, would never be ignored.

The King of Pop was always center stage. And the world was always watching.

http://www.usatoday....kson-obit_N.htm

[KMPS21]

It is sad that Michael Jackson passed away, don't get me wrong. But I feel horrible for the family of Farrah Fawcett. She struggled through life for three years with cancer and passes away the same day as MJ. And I think, just because of the shock value of the situation, that MJ's coverage has taken over most news broadcasts and leaves Farrah Fawcett with just a few leftover seconds.

It's sad that they're both gone, along with Ed McMahon. But if you're going to do a show about the two deaths that happened the same day, they should at least give equal amount of time to both parties. It doesn't seem fair.

That's just my opinion, though.

[Fennris]

KMPS21, on Jun 26 2009, 12:16 AM, said:

It is sad that Michael Jackson passed away, don't get me wrong. But I feel horrible for the family of Farrah Fawcett. She struggled through life for three years with cancer and passes away the same day as MJ. And I think, just because of the shock value of the situation, that MJ's coverage has taken over most news broadcasts and leaves Farrah Fawcett with just a few leftover seconds.

It's sad that they're both gone, along with Ed McMahon. But if you're going to do a show about the two deaths that happened the same day, they should at least give equal amount of time to both parties. It doesn't seem fair.

That's just my opinion, though.

And a good opinion it is......

[Wildcatfan078]

My heart hurts today.
...but the thread title says what I wish most for my favorite Moonwalker.... I pray he finds peace.

[DavidFosterRulez2009]

A very sad day. My heart goes out to their families, friends, and fans through this difficult time. R.I.P. Michael and Farrah.

[marlenebubleiwish]

Very sad. Michael was the best at what he did. My heart goes out to his family. Rest in peace Michael. you will be missed.

[FeveredByBuble]

I'm still in shock and total disbelief,
I grew up with Michael's music and today feel very sad at the loss of one of the music world's
most talented entertainers/innovators. God bless your children and family - you left this world too
early, but I hope you've found the peace you never found in your lifetime.
One thing is for sure, the Angels will now 'Rock With You'.
R.I.P. Michael ~ memories of your music will live on!! ♫♪♫

[swooninggrany]

I PRAY MICHAEL IS IN A PLACE WHERE HE CAN FIND PEACE. HE NEVER HAD THAT ON EARTH. HIS TALENT GOES ON AS WELL AS HIS MUSIC. I REMEMBER HIM AS A CHILD SINGING AND DANCING, WATCHING HIS CAREER GROW AS HE GREW. WHAT WENT WRONG THAT HE COULDN'T FIND HAPPINESS OR PEACE WITHIN.?? TO MUCH ADULATION? PEOPLE NOT SAYING "NO" TO MICHAEL.WHY COULDN'T HE ACCEPT HIMSELF AS THE MICHAEL BEFORE THE NOSE SURGERYS? WHO KNOWS, IT'S ALL TO SAD,WHEN GIVEN A GIFT OF TALENT SUCH AS MICHAEL HAD. HE NEVER HAD A SO CALLED REGULAR CHILDHOOD, COULD THAT BE PART OF IT?? MANY QUESTIONS WE'LL NEVER KNOW. HIS CHILDREN, AND FAMILY MY HEARTS GO OUT TO THEM, ESPECIALLY HIS CHILDREN.
ALLEN YOUR PIECE ON MICHAEL WAS OUTSTANDING AND COVERED HIS LIFE . THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. THANK YOU.

BEAUTIFUL FARRAH FAWCETT, YOUR BRAVERY INSPIRED MANY. YOUR LOVELY SMILE WILL ADD TO THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE TWINKLING STARS AT NIGHT.

ED MCMAHON, SO MANY NIGHTS WITH YOU AND JOHNNY WERE PART OF OUR LIVES, WHAT A PAIR YOU WERE AND ARE REUNITED AGAIN, SO YOU CAN SAY, HEEERE'S JOHNNY. WE SAY, THANK YOU ED.

PRAYERS FOR A VERY ILL WALTER CRONKITE,

HUGE HUGS, LORETTA SMILING AT YOU.

[sdijker]

I'm actually a bit surprised at how much the news of Michaels death affected me. I wasn't really aware of music during the time when Michael was at his peak. I have always like his music but he never really featured prominantly in the narrative of my life. I was amazedamount of shock and sadness that I felt when I was awoken by a text message from a friend telling me that he had died, and how prominantly he has featured in my mind in the past 24 hours.

I hope the Michael can rest in peace and my thoughts are with all of his family and friends.

Same to for the Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon and all of their friends and families.

[db]

I'm still in disbelief over Michael Jackson a true icon~~
A very talented and gifted performer~~ I'll always
love 'Thriller"

Farah, suffered so, and I watched her special not long ago
what a strong lady. Never forget The Burning Bed, she was
awesome in that. It was nice to see Ryan O'neal by her
side always.

Ed, like Loretta, I too watched he and Johnny for years and they
were quite the pair. Gave us lots of entertainment and loved the
skits they both did.

It's very surreal how the celebrities pass in threes. That always
boggles my mind.

I know Michael, so enjoyed MJ's music as he often said it.
I'm sure he is sadden by this as well~~Many celebrities have
commented on MJ and I think it's just wonderful the support thats
been coming from them and the fans~~
Michael Jackson will be missed~~
My thoughts and prayers go with these three and their families at this difficult
time~~~

[Josephine]

My thoughts and prayers also go out to Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon
and Michael Jackson and their families. Each of them has made a great contribution
to entertainment.in their time. They'll all be missed.

DIANE, as relates to your comment re death in threes, maybe I shouldn't mention
this because I don't know how it'll come out. But my son, who is a free-lance writer,
did an article on that recently.. Today he received a tweet on Twitter from a
reporter/producer from ABC News saying that he'd like to talk to him on the
phone about doing a special feature on the topic. My son will be calling him soon.

Take care,
Jo

[rtammgp]

True, Farrah (sp?) and Ed got overshadowed by Michael's death. And it weird how they come in threes.

I guess Michael's death is the biggest shock of all.
I've tried to put my feelings into words, but right now I can't, not the way I should.
All I can say, Gone Too Soon!
My sincere condolences to the family and the children.
Michael will be terrible missed.
Rest in Peace, Michael. May heaven give you what you always lacked here.