Michael Jackson Dead?????

[Dave W]

He thought that his wealth and fame would allow him to create an alternate reality. Didn't work.

At least we know who they can get to play him in movies.

[OldManC]

They probably got their wigs from the same squirrel farm. 

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2505693/The-shock-findings-of-the-Michael-Jackson-autopsy.html

I know this is the Sun, but the tabloids usually take the lead on crap like this. None of it is surprising. It's been a poorly kept secret for years that MJ was bald. The lung disease actually explains some of his bizarre public appearances over the years (the surgical mask and wheelchair use, for example). And the drug use is no surprise at all...

[Dave W]

No telling at this point how much of that it is true, but none of it surprises me. Does anyone doubt this is largely self-inflicted? Yet the cardiologist and others will be sued, there will be multiple scapegoats.

[godofthunder]

 I just love dark humor...................................well not dark really, almost light, well light humor then.

[Bass VI]

I have such mixed fellings about MJs' life/death that I don't quite know what should be made of it.

Certainly his talent (however you choose to judge it) can't be denied, that being his impact on music videos, his ability as a dancer, breaking MTVs' "race barrier", the number of other artists who chose to work with him, the extent of his "celebrity". 

On the other hand/glove, how much more bizzare could anyone be? I'm not talking "secret serial murderer bizzare" I'm talking huge public figure. Almost incomprehensible.........

Surely, he was his own worst enemy but equally a victim, didn't this poor guy have anyone in his circle of friends or family to intervene? As anyone who has had to deal with someone hell-bent on destroying themselves knows, this can be difficult (difficult? hell almost impossible) especially if the person is at the top of a power/psycological/money food chain.

The circus that will surround this (and I fear the circus will be in town for months, maybe years) might even overshadow all we've allready experienced. Hour by hour updates, tributes, I read a qoute from a fan in England who said "His funeral will be bigger than Dianas'".......think about it, where will they bury the poor guy (remember they finally had to move Elvis to Graceland after attempts to steal his body) do you thinks Jackos' remains will be any less a prize to someone?

In the end I think America and the worlds' appetite for the "Star Crash" ( yup that's where the name of my band came from ) won't be satisfied until every last bit of whatever Michael Jackson was has been digested, regurgitated, investigated and commercialized to a degree.........well to a degree well past anyone here will care to go.

"King of Pop" or "Wretched Excess" probably both........RIP MJ.

S.

[exiledarchangel]

I can't and wouldn't defend any of MJ's bizarre behaviour, some of it is completely detestable........

I do however unlike the rest of you go out dancing on a regular basis (twice weekly) and this weekend I heard a bit more MJ than usual. People on the dance floor cheered, including me - so for the music and the fun I appreciate him.
And just from the decency standpoint making fun of some one dying young (50 is too early to check out) is in poor taste, any of you have a parent or child die young?  I have.

Hey Mark I don't think anybody here is cruel enough to be glad MJ is dead, its just silly dark humor. I know you are sensitive, but alot of people has lost loved persons. Life just goes on. You must be tough, after all this is a gibson bass forum, gaddamit! 

[uwe]

They probably got their wigs from the same squirrel farm. 

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2505693/The-shock-findings-of-the-Michael-Jackson-autopsy.html

I know this is the Sun, but the tabloids usually take the lead on crap like this. None of it is surprising. It's been a poorly kept secret for years that MJ was bald. The lung disease actually explains some of his bizarre public appearances over the years (the surgical mask and wheelchair use, for example). And the drug use is no surprise at all...

I'm speechless. I assumed he wasn't healthy at all, but that much of a wreck?

[OldManC]

I'm speechless. I assumed he wasn't healthy at all, but that much of a wreck?

The burns he got as a result of that Pepsi commercial the Jacksons did in the 80's were far more severe than the general public was ever told. I don't know if MJ was involved in drugs before then but the aftermath of that burn would have been months of surgeries and narcotics to deal with the physical pain. Then there's the psychological issues it would have created (like he didn't have those already). There's a Rolling Stone interview MJ did when he was 18 or 19 and his almost complete lack of social graces or understanding were highlighted. Even then it was bizarre, and this was before mega-stardom.

As for the users, enablers, and hangers on; Michael Jackson was the family meal ticket from the age of 5. As his fame grew, the number of people dependent on him for their living grew exponentially. Even the strongest of personalities can fall prey to many of the trappings of that kind of success. Right or not, the more money and fame you have, the more yes men there are, waiting to tell you exactly what you want to hear who will also get you the drugs you want to take, the girls/boys/women/men/chimps you want to sleep with, whatever...

As for his talent, it'd be silly to try and claim he had none, but Quincy Jones had as much to do with MJ's success as MJ did. Anyone familiar with his work in the few years preceding Thriller knows that most of the 'groundbreaking' sounds on that album were not groundbreaking at all. Listen to George Benson's "Give Me The Night" album and it's pretty much part one of Off The Wall and Thriller. Same sounds, same production, probably many of the same session players.

MJ was a highly functioning idiot savant. The sad part of it is he was made to be that way. At some point is was on him to change that or let it continue, but he can't be faulted for his childhood. His talent gave him his life but it ended up costing it as well. Remove the predilection for young boys (which he had whether he had sex with them or not), and he still cuts an incredibly weird/tragic/bizarre and yes, comic, figure.

[uwe]

Well said.

[Dave W]

More craziness: Grieving Jackson fans committing suicide?

Pithy observation from my favorite off-the-wall cartoon, Cat and Girl: Monoculture's Last Dance

[Barklessdog]

and more

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/people/1645405,w-michael-jackson-kids-children-rowe-063009.article

TMZ.com is reporting this morning that Debbie Rowe is not the biological mother of Jackson's first two children, Prince Michael, and Paris, and that Jackson was not the sperm donor. The celebrity site is also reporting that Jackson never officially adopted any of his three children.

Adding salt to the wound, Perezhilton.com is claiming that Jackson's dermatologist, the Los Angeles-based Arnold Klein is the father. Klein was also Rowe's former boss.

[Pilgrim]

I'm Spartacus!!!!!!!!!

[Dave W]

Triumph at the Michael Jackson Trial

[Freuds_Cat]

any takers for Caligula

[gweimer]

Quincy Jones had as much to do with MJ's success as MJ did.

I have to agree with that.  As I recall, it was Jones that made the call to grab "the hottest white boy guitarist" for "Beat It".  Eddie was supposedly given free reign on the song, and the rest is history.