Seriously people. Has everyone lost their damn minds?
The AMA Awards (American Music Awards) recently announced the nominees for 2009, and Michael Jackson is up for FIVE awards. When I read this news, I actually thought it was some sort of spoof.

But no, Jackson was nominated for Best Artist, Best Male Artist, Best Album, Best R&B Male Artist and Best R&B Album.

I just can’t sit back and watch this stupidity unfold without asking WTF?
This may be the only time I will ever stand up for Lady Gaga.

The AMA Awards are actually based on sales and radio data from Nielsen. And for the last three years, fans were able to vote for the winners on AMA’s website.

So although Jackson’s album “Number Ones” is selling like hot cakes now,*shakes head*, it was RECORDED BACK IN 2003.
SIX YEARS AGO.
So why the HELL was it eligible for a nomination? And how is this fair to the other artists?
It’s not.

A tribute to Jackson at the AMA Awards would have been more than enough. Even although I am sick to death of ”Jackson mania” and do not understand the worship that this man is receiving. It just blows my mind that people have such short memories.

If you think the award nominations are insane, hold on to your sequined glove, because just when I thought it couldn’t possibly get any more ridiculous, I happen to see a petition online, for Michael Jackson to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. I kid you not.

Here is a snippet from the petition, and it is one of the funniest things I have read in a long time and I have bolded the parts I find most hilarious.

Dear Norwegian Nobel Committee,

We the undersigned, would like to nominate legendary performing artist and global humanitarian Michael Jackson for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. He was and will continue to be one of the most famous, and influential men on earth. Michael’s message for humankind has always been rooted in compassion, and kindness. He has succeeded a lifelong dedication to the well being of humanity. Moving beyond all political, social, and economic borders Michael Jackson consistently spread a positive message of global unity, healing, and love.

Wait…. I have to get off the floor, I was laughing too hard.
I know I always say this, but I swear, you can’t make this crap up.
Surprisingly, there are over 45,000 + people supporting this petition. *pinching myself*

Yes Jackson has helped some people over the years. Ok.
But the Nobel Peace Prize?
He doesn’t exactly have the best reputation. *snicker*
Remember?

Remember that tiny little court case where he showed up in his PJ’s?
You know, the one where they let him go even though the evidence was a mountain high? *grumble*

So back to the most ridiculous AMA Awards in the history of the AMA.

A truthful snipette LA Times:

Michael Jackson’s “Number Ones” will compete for favorite album in the pop/rock field against Lady Gaga’s “The Fame” and Taylor Swift’s “Fearless.”

Both of the latter have a decent shot at being represented at the upcoming Grammy Awards, but the latter won’t feature any albums from Jackson.

That’s because his “Number Ones” was released back in 2003. What’s more, the album is simply a greatest hits compilation, featuring only a pair of songs actually released this decade. Regardless of retail impact, a 2009 award show should be restricted to albums actually recorded within its recent history. At last check, Jackson has already won plenty of American Music Award trophies for the songs on “Number Ones,” including an artist of the century accolade in 2002.
A segment or two honoring Jackson would have been a better way to recognize the King of Pop’s contributions to music. The MTV Video Music Awards opened with a tribute to the star, and the 2010 Grammy Awards will surely feature some sort of Jackson memorial. Yet giving the artist posthumous awards, especially when said artist hasn’t released an album of new material since 2001, seems an unfair slight to today’s current crop of pop stars.

 

Yes! Exactly!
Thank you LA Times!

I think it is a damn shame that other artists are going up against someone that recorded an album SIX YEARS AGO, and who won’t be present to accept, because of a little minor detail that can not be rectified. What is it again? Oh yeah.. HE IS DEAD.

Further more, do people think that Jackson would have been nominated if he was still alive?
HELL NO!
Under these circumstances, and besides that other little thing about Jackson…. what was it again? Oh yes… the fact that he was an alleged child molester, who admitted on camera  to sharing his bed with young boys…
I think if he wins ANY one of these awards, it will show just how insane people really are and I may have to donate some money to NASA so they can continue working on an alternative planet for me to move to. (certainly not the moon, Jackson was already there too)

 Now you can bash me all you want in the comment section, because I know that all the Michael Jackson blind sheep without memories will be out in droves praising their fallen King.
So go ahead…bash away.

But keep in mind that these nominations for Jackson are simply NOT FAIR to the other artists, besides the fact that is beyond RIDICULOUS.

Yes the man was talented. We get it, I would never dispute that. But enough is enough!
Give the other artists the chance they deserve.

If Jackson ends up winning any awards, the best thing the Jackson estate could do, is to not accept it and pass up the award (s) to the most deserving artist. At least that would show some class.

If you were one of the artists that busted their tails to get where they are today and then lost to someone who would have not won if they were alive, whose album was recorded SIX YEARS AGO, and again that little minor detail of them being DEAD, how would you feel?
How would YOU feel if the shoe was on the other foot?
Or in this case…. the glove on the other hand?

We have watched the endless barrage of stories surrounding the death of pop icon Michael Jackson, who died exactly two months ago. News has centered around the speculation of who will get his three children, whose DNA both maternally and paternally are in question (so far Jackson’s mother Katherine has custody according to his will), what will happen to his estate (including a mountain of debt), to the ultimate question of who or what killed the Thriller star.

If we have learned one thing about celebrity deaths (specifically, Anna Nicole Smith) it has been to wait for the autopsy results before drawing any definitive conclusion. That time seems to be approaching, with news reports suggesting Michael Jackson’s death has been ruled a homicide — though at this time the LAPD and DA’s office have refused to confirm this information.

At the center of the battle to determine how Jackson died is his personal doctor, Conrad Murray, who according to his own admission, administered what many have concluded was a lethal dose of strong sedatives, creating a toxic cocktail causing Michael to go into cardiac arrest. CNN reports:

The Los Angeles coroner has concluded preliminarily that singer Michael Jackson died of an overdose of propofol, a powerful sedative he was given to help him sleep, according to court documents released Monday.

Los Angeles coroner Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran reached that preliminary conclusion after reviewing toxicology results carried out on Jackson’s blood, according to a search warrant and affidavit unsealed in Houston, Texas.

The affidavit, used to outline probable cause for search warrants of the offices of doctors who are believed to have treated Jackson, disclosed many details of drugs given to Jackson in the weeks before his death.

Jackson family lawyer Londell McMillan said the report “reaffirms the very sad reality that there was a tragic and gross violation of duty and care for Michael Jackson.”

The publicist for Jackson’s family said the “family looks forward to the day that justice can be served.”

The irony of the Jackson family’s statement is not lost on me, because if justice were TRULY to be served, they would be turning the finger-pointing on themselves as well. It should come as news to NO ONE, Michael’s family has been sponging off of him for years, while turning a negligent eye towards their cash cow’s declining health. While it seemed most of the world was shocked by the death of Jackson, anyone with a keen eye could see the man was on death’s door, regardless of insider information.

According to the Washington Post, Dr. Murray’s actions prior to and just after Jackson’s death had a direct bearing on the 50-year old star’s death:

Conrad Murray, the Las Vegas cardiologist whom Jackson called his personal physician, told detectives that he had been treating Jackson for insomnia for about six weeks, and had been giving Jackson 50 milligrams of propofol every night using an intravenous drip, the report notes. The affidavit was unsealed in Houston, where Murray has an office that was raided by U.S. agents on July 22.

Murray said he feared that Jackson was forming an addiction to the drug, which the singer allegedly referred to as “milk,” and that he was trying to wean him off of it. So he lowered Jackson’s propofol dosage to 25 milligrams, mixing it with two other sedatives, lorazepam and midazolam, according to the report. On June 23, two days before the singer’s death, he reportedly gave Jackson lorazepam and midazolam, withholding the propofol.

On the day Jackson died, Murray tried to induce sleep at 1:30 a.m. with Valium; at 2 a.m. with lorazepam; and at 3 a.m. with midazolam, according to the affidavit. After Murray failed to put Jackson to sleep with additional doses over the next few hours, Jackson then demanded propofol. At 10:40 a.m., the report notes, Murray administered 25 milligrams of the drug and continued to monitor Jackson for 10 minutes, until Murray left for the restroom. Murray told investigators that he returned after no more than two minutes and noticed Jackson had stopped breathing.

What happened next is pivotal in building a homicide case against Murray. At question is why Murray waited so long to call for an ambulance (reportedly 40 minutes after finding Jackson unresponsive), why Murray didn’t use a heart monitor while administering such a strong sedative (required for use of the drug) and legally significant, was Murray responsible for obtaining the lethal drug, propofol (Diprivan). Tracing the source has proven difficult, despite multiple search warrants of Murray’s offices. Let’s not forget the lengthy paper trail of Jackson using several aliases to get strong prescription drugs for his personal use. Bottom line, Jackson had a severe drug problem and if Murray hadn’t given him the drugs he wanted, Michael was hell bent on finding a doctor who would.

Dr. Murray is without a doubt guilty of a dereliction of duty in the care of Jackson, and quite likely bears the ultimate responsibility for Jackson’s death, but should he carry that burden alone? Behind Murray is a long list of shady characters who CHOSE not to do what was best for the man whom they were all “enabling.” Doctors, family members, hangers on, music executives, promoters, and of course, Michael himself.

Murray may have administered the final deadly dose, but if we look at this case with an discerning eye, Michael was dead long ago.

[Editors note: Please let this be a cautionary tales to all celebrities - you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with. Hearing only what you want to hear is the beginning of the end. Trust.]

Here we go again.
It has been announced that the remake of the Beatles classic Yellow Submarine is in the works.Why or why do they insist on taking classics and and trashing them? Didn’t they learn their lesson with Willy Wonka, The Whiz, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and Charlotte’s Web? (just to name a few classics).

Yellow Submarine was magic on the screen back in 1968. Imagine how it looked to a generation that was used to seeing black and white television and experiencing the whole “make love not war” movement. It was also the year that Martin Luther King was assassinated. The movie came out at a time of great civil unrest, and it was a hit I mean a ray of yellow sunshine. *snicker*

In the movie, the playful rhymes of  the charachter Jeremy Hillary Boob PhD. (he was my favorite) pretty much summed up the premise behind Yellow Submarine, “Peace! Peace! Supplant the doom and the gloom! Turn off what is sour! Turn into a flower and BLOOM! BLOOM! BLOOM”

To me, Yellow Submarine was more than just a trippy animated flick. It was part of an entire movement of peace and love. Beatles classic songs like Nowhere Man and All You Need Is Love melded together with trippy animation into a sensory overload of psychedelic yumminess which was loved by many young and old.

But Yellow Submarine was not loved by all and many considered it just a drugged out cartoon. Take for instance this scathing review  (<<<click on the link) of  Yellow Submarine when it was re-released in 1999. The review was entitled “ Take a psychedelic journey to Nowhere land with the Beatles & the Nowhere Man where you’ll find nothing too pleasing without the help from your friends.” Needless to say of course I disagreed with that interview.

The original Yellow Submarine took two years to make, by 40 animators and 140 technical artists and had 14 different scripts. Now I know by today’s standards, those methods are now obsolete, and technology has improved by leaps and bounds, but I am not too privy of someone taking this classic and making it into a modern day mess either.

Sadly, Disney is doing the remake. Now don’t even get me started on Disney, with it’s mass marketing of clothing and toys made in their GLOBAL sweat shops, and other things I don’t care to get into. I just ask you to please do your homework before you support them!
Disney is also pairing up with Rob Zemeckis for this remake.

Now granted Zemeckis has some big  and successful films under his belt, he also did two movies that I just totally despise which were Forest Gump and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Two of the most annoying movies I ever had the displeasure of watching. Save me all the Forest Gump love  fest comments which I am sure I will get. I HATED the movie with a passion and had trouble getting through the whole thing and almost walked out. And if I hear “life is just like a box of chocolates” in that HORRIBLE fake accent that Hanks did one more time, I swear I am going to get the screaming Blue Meanies out.

In Yellow Submarine, the Captain of the Blue Meanies says to ”glove”, “A thing of beauty; destroy it forever!”

Is Disney going to be Yellow Submarine’s ”glove”?

Of course I know the original can never be destroyed. But sometimes another thing occurs when movies are remade. The younger audience thinks that the remake is the first one that was ever made and tend to think the real original is crap. This also happens with music today and it drives me totally NUTS! Grrrrrr! And no, Limp Bizkit was not the originator of the song ”Behind Blue Eyes“. Geez!

A lot of younger people also think if the movie is not in their face with special effects, then it just plain stinks. Perhaps that’s why Disney is going with 3-D animation to inhance it a much as posisble.

But…Disney has yet to acquire the rights to the Beatles songs thus far and one has to wonder if Michael Jackson’s recent death has anything to do with acquiring these songs.Why? Jackson’s estate happens to include the 4,000 song catalogue of  Beatle’s music which he purchased for 47.5 million back in 1985. But keep in mind, he owns the publishing rights for the songs. There is a difference in owning the publsihing rights and the performance rights. For a full explanation go here.  

A bit of history with Jackson and Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney. Jackson worked with McCartney on the song  Say Say Say and they did a video together for the song in 1984. Jackson also did The Girl Is Mine with McCartney in 1982. ( I won’t comment on the title or lyrics of that song, it’s just too easy).

Jackson was ironically advised by Paul McCartney. Sir Paul told Jackson more or less that buying music was a sound and lucrative investment. This advice was prior to the 1985 auction of the Beatles catalogue of songs. Jackson took Sir Paul’s advice and outbid both Paul McCartney AND John Lennon’s widow,Yoko Ono! 
Hey all you Jackson fans out there, how can you justify this dastardly move by Jackson? Huh?

Sir Paul and Yoko must have been a tad hot under the collar to say the least. If Jackson had any scruples, ESPECIALLY for the fact that he was also in the music industry, he would of let McCartney keep the publishing rights to his own songs that HE wrote with Lennon and not outbid him in the first place. But then again who knows what McCartney would of done with the songs either. Or even Yoko for that  matter. Maybe it was a good thing that Sir Paul didn’t get the songs? Sir Paul’s ex-wife, the money grubbing Heather Mills, never signed a pre-nup and the songs  may have ended up as being partly hers. GASP!
That money grubbing biotch got WAY too much from Sir Paul as far as I am concerned. At least she is out of the picture now. But when will you ever learn Sir Paul?

So what has happened with some of these songs over the years? Let’s jump back to the 1987 Nike commercial using the Beatles Revolution song. Capital Records owed the performance rights and was paid $250,000. Michael Jackson owned the publishing rights, (meaning use of the words and music) and he was paid for use of the song. Which was later followed by others like All You You Need is Love, which was used for a Luv’s Diaper commercial, and a version of the Beatles song Help, which was used in a car commercial in 1985 . Son Julian Lennon, son of John, lent his voice to When I’m 64 for an Allstate commercial and  let’s not forget Target’s use of Hello- Goodbye for their TV commercials. Egad!

The Beatles song collection saga continued on….. and in 1995, Sony paid Jackson 95 million and merged with ATV, to form Sony/ATV Publishing which was a 50/50 joint venture. So it is probably safe to say that Jackson’s estate includes HALF of the publishing rights to the Beatles songs. 

But there may be a silver lining in this dark cloud, well sort of.
Supposedly Jackson left the 4,000 Beatles songs to McCartney in his will. Rumor has it that Jackson felt remorse about his failed relationship with Sir Paul, and thought this was a way to make amends. Too bad Jackson didn’t do this YEARS ago, so he could of actually made amends in person with Sir Paul, rather than from the grave. So Sir Paul may end up with the publsihing rights to half of his own songs in the end. Just plain sad. *shakes head* But I guess it is better than nothing.
Sadly, Sony/ATV doesn’t need permission from surviving Beatles or heirs to license the songs. Damn you Jackson! And Damn you Sony!
So it’s still up in the air as to whether this remake of Yellow Submarine will eventually get the rights to use these songs.

So getting back to this movie remake.
The NY Times called the original a 2-D CARTOON and they also mentioned two of the movies I despise by Zemeckis.
From the NY Times :

More than 40 years after Old Fred fired up the titular vehicle of “Yellow Submarine” and used it to round up four Liverpool lads who would defend Pepperland from the Blue Meanies, Disney is preparing a remake of the Beatles’ 1968 animated movie, Variety reported.

The original film was a traditional (if thoroughly trippy) 2-D cartoon directed by George Dunning and designed by Heinz Edelmann, in which the Beatles appeared only in a live-action segment tacked on at the end. The planned remake, to be directed by Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”), will be a 3-D animated feature that would use the performance-capture technology seen in Mr. Zemeckis’s “Beowulf” and his coming remake of “A Christmas Carol.”

The Variety report said that Disney was still seeking to obtain rights to the Beatles songs used in the original “Yellow Submarine” film, including the title song and tracks like “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The remake is being planned for a 2012 release.

No casting was announced for the motion-capture remake, though the project does call to mind Paul McCartney’s recent remarks to Daniel Radosh in The New York Times Magazine: “In 10 years’ time you’ll be standing there, and you will be Paul McCartney. You know that, don’t you?”

Fact: Many people didn’t realize that the voices used in the original Yellow Submarine where not those of the actual Beatles. I never knew that myself. The Beatles only appeared at the very end of the movie as themselves.

Yellow Submarine had it’s fair share of merchandising back in the day to say the least, and it continues today. The Beatles had more merchandise than any other band in history. There were Yellow Submarine pop up books, calenders, Blue Meanie Halloween costumes, Goebel figurines and even Huffy Bikes jumped on the YS band wagon in 1968 and came out with a girls YS yellow bicycle complete with movie graphics right on the seat which I found on a Beatles memorabilia website.

Of course all this stuff had a huge resurgence in 1999 when they re-released the movie for the 30thyear Anniversary. Today you can still buy Yellow Submarine merchandise in all shapes and forms from neck ties to purses, to t-shirts to wallies to stick on your walls. They also came out with new YS Beatles figurines in the 90’s and again in 2000. Even the Cirque du Soleil has a show called LOVE dedicated to the music of the Beatles. I am sure Disney will jump on the merchandising band wagon and will have their little workers slaving away making sure that there is enough Yellow Submarine Onesies and Jeremy Hillary Boob lunch boxes. And don’t forget Yellow Submarine Happy Meals complete with plastic figures which will end up in landfills and stay there for all eternity. Oh wait that s right, Disney dumped McDonald’s back in 2006. Maybe Burger King then? *snicker*

OK, I know I am being cynical, and maybe I am too sentimental about movies being remade and the “old days”. So I decided to check myself, and I went through the list of movie remakes on Wikipedia, but I still found myself rooting for the original versions. Even really early movies like Mighty Joe Young which came out in 1949. I still found myself favoring the original over the remake. (ironically Disney did a remake and they also did  an animated version of course, they make me sick).

Films like Little Shop Of Horrors? DEFINITELY the original. Who can deny the greatness of the cameo by a very young and loony Jack Nicholson in the original? You can’t.
Even though some of these original movies were sheer cornball and the filming techniques were primitive, but that was part of what made the originals so great. They had a lot less to work with back then, but yet the movies were still phenomenal.

That is why I wish they would just leave the classics alone. You can’t reproduce living in the era when these original movies came out or the way people felt when they first saw the original Yellow Submarine. Many people may be annoyed by the remaking of Yellow Submarine. And I can’t speak for the hard core Beatles buffs. Maybe some will be unhappy and some will embrace the new movie with the hopes of a whole new generation of yougins’ buying Beatles music once again and helping to continue the Beatles legacy. I myself do not support Disney, so I will not be catching this particular flick.

But at the very least, let’s just hope that this new release does the original Yellow Submarine some justice and more importantly let’s hope it sends the same message as the original.
Which of course was:

A heaping helping of the crazy sauce, with a side of WTF? garnished with a spoonful of “SAY WHAT?

Just watch this and it will explain everything.

I blame TMZ for this nonsense. No one in their right mind would give this woman spare change, let alone the time of day, but alas, those gutter-dwellers were there slurping it all up with a spoon.

To make a long story short, this crazy bitch claims that Michael Jackson is the biological father to Connor Cruise, Tom Cruise’s adopted son, and she, Claire Elisabeth “I AM F*CKING INSANE” Fields Cruise is his mother. She also claims he and the three Jackson children were conceived using some kind of “technology” that does not include all known forms of conception. Immaculate perhaps.

Alright, we all know this loon is smoking the tainted stuff, but what bothers me most about all this MJ “biological” parental feeding frenzy nonsense is the how it may be affecting Michael’s kids. Don’t they deserve to grieve and live in relative harmony? Does no one have these kids best interests at heart? I mean every day some whackadoodle comes forward saying they are the biological parent to Michael’s kids. Did we learn nothing from Anna Nicole’s death?

Is the world getting crazier? What’s next, alien invasion? Just kidding Xenu, just kidding.

(courtesy of MK)

No, Michael Jackson isn’t going to be buried on the moon. But it wouldn’t surprise me one iota and perhaps LA would agree to pay for that too. *snicker*
Now I promised myself that I wasn’t going to write anything about Michael Jackson, because he is in every tabloid, on every TV channel and everything else in between. I turn on the TV… Jackson, Jackson, Jackson, a newspaper… Jackson, a magazine…. Jackson, the Internet… Jackson. Look up at the moon… Jackson. Wait! Huh? 
Yes the Lunar Republic Society has renamed a crater on the moon in memory of Jackson. Ok, that’s freakin’ it!  The world has spun off it’s axis.
The crater was previously named Posidonius J.
From The Telegraph, a spokesman for the society said:

 ”The official designation of a Lunar crater is a singular honour bestowed upon only a select few luminaries.
“Among those receiving this rare tribute over the past century are Leonardo da Vinci, Christopher Columbus, Sir Isaac Newton, Julius Caesar and Jules Verne.”

Evidently, the Lunar Republic Society felt that Jackson was a luminary and deserved the same honor as Columbus the explorer, Newton who discovered gravity and was a brilliant physicists, and da Vinci who painted the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Hmmm..Their reasoning is a bit ridiculous, to say the least, but then again, do we really care who the Lunar Republic Society names craters after? I don’t. I really don’t have any plans on going to the moon any time soon. It’s the Society’s reasoning that makes me scratch my head. They can go ahead and name a crater after Steve Urkel for all I care, but please don’t lump him in the same group as da Vinci and Newton. Did I do that???

Now you can’t take away the fact that the world has made Michael Jackson into an icon, and that he will be missed by many. Certainly not by all… but many. Ok, we get it . But can we all move on now? PLEASE?
Everyone knows what happens from here. All the admiration in the tabloids will now turn to finger pointing, more scandal, people coming forward with new evidence, writing stories,books, movies, new clothing line, new music releases that were never heard, people wearing sparkly gloves again and then Ben and Jerry’s will name an ice cream after him and then I will move to the moon. 
Trust me, this Jackson mania is only the tip of the iceberg ladies and gents. It’s going to get a whole lot uglier from here.

So remember, the next time you are looking  up at the moon while eating your Ben and Jerry’s Marshmallow Mocha Moonwalk… there is a crater named Michael Joseph Jackson located in the Lake of Dreams, sitting right next to the 1,200 acre parcel that Jackson purchased for himself  previously  in 2005. *sighs* 
Take me back to the day, when I thought the moon was made of cheese.

Update:

Multiple sources have confirmed Michael Jackson has died of a cardiac arrest at the age of 50. Right now we aren’t sure what exactly led to Michael’s heart attack, but he has suffered from ill health and chronic disease for over a decade, as well as, very public trials which must have led to a tremendous amount of stress.

Here’s what CNN is reporting:

Jackson, 50, had been in a coma at the hospital, sources told CNN.

Brian Oxman, a Jackson family attorney, said he was told by brother Randy Jackson that Michael Jackson collapsed at his home in west Los Angeles, California, Thursday morning.

Family members were told of the situation and were either at the hospital or en route, Oxman said.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda told CNN a 911 call came in from a west Los Angeles residence at 12:21 p.m.

Ruda said Jackson was treated and transferred to the UCLA Medical Center.

Asked specifics of the patient’s condition, he said he could not discuss them because of federal privacy laws.

The music icon from Gary, Indiana, is known as the “King of Pop.” Jackson had many No. 1 hits and his “Thriller” is the best-selling album of all time. Video Jackson “as big as it gets” »

Jackson is the seventh of nine children in a well-known musical family. He has three children, Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II.

At the medical center, every entrance to the emergency room was blocked by security guards. Even hospital staffers were not permitted to enter. A few people stood inside the waiting area, some of them crying.

A large crowd was also gathering outside the hospital, according to video footage.

Outside Jackson’s Bel Air home, police arrived on motorcycles. The road in front of the home was closed in an attempt to hold traffic back, but several people were gathered outside the home.

*********************************************
Reports are coming in about an emergency call to the home of Michael Jackson stating someone was having a cardiac arrest. TMZ is reporting Michael Jackson has died, though no other media reports are stating that at this time.

We will keep you posted as we learn more. WOW, just wow. Maybe he was as sick as writer and blogger Ian Halperin suggested.

Michael Jackson has canceled his comeback concert series opening show for July 8th in London, and moved it to the 13th. His other shows in July were moved all the way to March 2010??

And we have just one question…why is he pretending NOT to be ill? From what I have read, although not all totally confirmed, it looks like Jackson is experiencing some major health issues. I have heard lung problems, skin cancer, and a bevy of other ailments.

Hey Jacko, instead of trying to save face (yes, we said it) how about you just call the whole thing off. You can convalesce in the privacy of your own home and stop trying to make it seem like you are well enough to go on tour.

All I have to say about this (easily predicted) cancellation is: karma is a bitch.

Newsday reported from the Associated Press:

Michael Jackson’s representatives announced yesterday that the elusive King of Pop will postpone several of his London comeback shows scheduled for this summer.

The opening night at the 02 Arena had been set for July 8 but will be moved back to July 13, promoters said. In addition, shows scheduled for July 10, July 12 and July 14 will instead be held in March 2010, The Associated Press reports.

The delays are likely to fuel speculation that Jackson is suffering from health ailments that may curtail his comeback bid.

Recent reports in the British press said the 50-year-old singer was diagnosed with skin cancer last month. Doctors reportedly noticed spots on his neck and precancerous cells on his face. A spokesman has denied the rumors, insisting the star is in “perfect health.”

Kenny Ortega, Jackson’s collaborator, said the change is needed to deliver a flawless production.

“We apologize to all disappointed Michael Jackson fans and remain extremely dedicated and focused on creating an exceptional live music experience,” he said. Promoters said anyone who chooses not to attend the rescheduled shows will be entitled to a full refund.

Jackson’s 50 shows are scheduled to kick off in July and stretch into March.

The troubled pop singer has said the series, “This is It,” will be his last in the British capital.

Promoters said the tickets sold out within hours of becoming available.

Now I’m sorry, while there are clearly thousands of fans who are willing to overlook the well-documented molestation cases brought against Jackson for molesting boys, including the expensive payoffs to their parents, but I am not willing to forget that he is a blatant, creepy, unrepentant, and “ALLEGED” PEDOPHILE. 

When he wrote the song BAD, I guess we all should have been paying closer attention.

He was charged with 10 counts back in 2003, which were four counts of committing lewd acts on a child, one count of an attempted lewd act, and four counts of administering an intoxicating agent. Also conspiring to commit child abduction, extortion and false imprisonment and two special allegations.

This case was on the heels of Jackson admitting on national TV that there is nothing more beautiful then having someone sleep in your bed (he was of course referring to his young boy house guests) when he was interviewed by Martin Basheer back in 2003.

I think I heard the gasps of millions of people world wide that night.
Seems to me, he should have left that little gem out, but I am glad he didn’t, as it showed just how delusional, sick and twisted he truly is, and in turn, prompted abused victims to come forward.

BUT! To my utter disgust Jackson was found not guilty. The day Jackson was found not guilty of all 10 counts was the day (besides the OJ case) I gave up hope for the justice system actually being a justice system at all. It’s also proof positive that people are unwilling to apply the same laws and punishment to the rich and famous, regardless of the heinousness of their crimes.

Between the circus-like court case hearings of him showing up in his PJ’s, jumping on top of cars and waving, to his bizarre sightings on impromptu shopping sprees, he has not really done anything to change a lot of people’s minds about just how strange and troubled he is.

Perhaps someone can explain to me why he went into a BOOK STORE in Santa Monica, dressed like an undertaker with a mask and had someone following him around with a black umbrella on the INSIDE of the store? Was he trying NOT to attract attention?  Makes you wonder if that was his true intention. After all, if he just dressed normal and put a hat on, who would recognize him? Or how about going out for a little stroll? Why wear your PJs and a mask? I guess with today’s idiotic “swine flu” pandemic he could actually slip in and out of places totally undetected.

Jackson In Wheelchair Just Last Year 2008

And please, don’t get me started on his poor kids.

All parents are guilty of doing something to embarrass their kids from time to time, including my own dad. We would duck down in the back seat and cringe while my father was blowing kisses to any guy with shoulder length hair back in the 70’s. Thank God he has mellowed, and is more PC now. But can you imagine growing up with Jackson as your Dad? Egad! No wonder they wear masks, who can blame them!

Now I am certainly not going to deny that the man was a great talent. EMPHASIS ON THE WORD WAS. He was responsible for some incredible music and was a phenomenal dancer…WAS.

Sadly, that all changed for me when he started to act out his FREAKY desires, instead of getting some help. Now I know Michael had a hellacious childhood and I believe he is a victim himself, but once someone knows they have a problem then it’s their responsibility to get the help them need. Instead, Michael continued to surround himself with temptation and enablers who looked the other way while he acted out on his sickness, hurting innocent children in the process.

He has been in court enough times to know right from wrong, but Jackson chooses to do whatever Jackson wants to do. I would imagine, he is not accustomed to hearing the word no either. Unfortunately in this world, there are many celebrity “enablers” and they will do anything for a buck, including turning a blind eye to criminal behavior.

While many of Michael’s rabid fans may have been thrilled about the comeback tour, I was not one of them. I don’t care that he is a supposedly $300 million in debt, I mean talk about poor money management. Although, I do feel bad for his kids, for many, many, MANY reasons. Number one being THEY AREN’T HIS KIDS. At least not biologically. Just because you can buy children, doesn’t make you a good parent.

So to you Michael… just STOP. Stop trying to be the almighty Michael Jackson. Your moon walking and your sparkly glove days are over. Get the therapy and mental health care you need and try to let your kids have a normal life, while they are still young.

Hey Peter Pan…… it’s time to go back to Never Never Land.
Oh wait…that belongs to the Sycamore Valley Ranch Company now.

KARMA BABY!

Just Plain Frightening

You won’t have Michael Jackson to kick around any more!

Well, he did it…Michael Jackson, frail and tottering and acting drugged, made the announcement that he is definitely playing London one last time (I’ll still believe it when I see it):

[The] trembling, gaunt figure in front of the microphone stumbled over his words just long enough to tell everyone he loved them – before saying an emotional goodbye. [...]

‘This really is it,’ he said. ‘When I say this is it, it really means this is it.’

And just in case anyone failed to pick up on the message, he added: ‘This is the final curtain call.’

Quite whether that was worth a five-hour wait in the refrigerator temperatures of the 02 Arena was the subject of much discussion afterwards among those who had so loyally endured the queueing marathon.

What was billed as a press conference turned out to be four minutes that failed to change the world. But, don’t worry. There will doubtless be masses of hyped up non-events like this one throughout what is certain to become the Summer of Jacko. [...]

It has been 12 years since he toured, the last several of which have been shadowed by erratic behaviour, tarnished reputation and concerns over his health.

He might have been punching the air and giving victory signs yesterday but his heavily-caked face failed to mask the uncomfortable impression that here was a middle-aged man who looked and acted as if he was on painkillers.

Now, don’t forget this is in London, so you’re going to have to pony up some dough; after you pay air fare, tickets for Michael’s shows should run around $70-$106 USD (£50 and £75 UKP).

Also this week, Britney Spears kicked off her new Circus tour, with tickets going anywhere from $90-$750 a pop.  So, this beggars the question:  In this recession, when people are losing their homes and being laid off left and right and wondering just how they are going to put dinner on the table, would YOU pay that kind of money for tickets?  I think you already know my answer.

Thinking of these two also brought to mind this snippet, talking about how both Brit and Michael are horrors to work with in the recording studio:

If only Britney Spears could sing in studio the way she’s able to cash in on her All American smile she’d be much more pleasant to work with, according to one of her New York record producers. The shapelessness of her psyche during recording sessions transcends into a living recording hell. The incensed producer said Spears has the blank schizoid fever of white southern trash when it comes to laying down her vox. “She’s the only artist I’ve ever worked with where it takes at least 250 takes to record a vocal,” the producer told IUC. “If you could hear just her voice tracks on solo play you’d have to block your ears. You hear the blank tones of her annoying southern drawl. Simon Cowell would have a heart attack hearing her.”
Another pop icon the producer had stirring memories working with was Michael Jackson. “Michael was impossible to deal with from the second he stepped in my studio,” the Grammy award winning producer said. “He requested mineral water from Norway and refused to wear headphones to record his vocal. That’s the biggest nightmare to work with. Imagine, no headphones and all the background noise filtering through. It’s almost impossible to clean up in post production.”

Searching through videos, I found this little gem of Michael and Britney performing together at Madison Square Garden in 2001  (sadly, shortly before the terrorist attacks).  It shows that even as recently as 2001, Michael could still sorta-kinda bring it (even though this was basically a rehash of a previous Grammy performance) and Britney looked pretty good pre-Kevin, although all Brit does is wander back and forth across the stage and shakes her booty a little while leaving Michael to do the actual work.  It just ticks me off that they goofed with a great MJ song…you know, from back when he was actually trying.  Putting Brit’s voice on there made it toothachingly awful…at least we know Michael can sing when he wants to.

Well, y’all enjoy…I’m outta here!

The rumors swirling around Michael Jackson show no signs of abating.  Fresh on the heels of the news that he is fighting a serious flesh-eating staph infection and could be suffering from a lung disease which could be fatal, is the latest announcement that he is going to play at least ten shows at London’s O2 Arena, but not before he undergoes some rigorous physical assessments first:

Michael Jackson has undergone a series of health checks to prove his fitness to perform a series of London concerts, it has been revealed.

This afternoon at a press conference to which his loyal fans have been invited, Jackson, 50, was announcing about 10 gigs at the O2 with the option of a ‘few more’ if demand is there.

Jackson will receive about £50 million for the series of summer shows.

Doubts about the star’s fitness prompted promoters to seek undertakings on his wellbeing.

A source close to AEG, the American owner of the O2 which is paying Jackson, insisted the pop star had submitted himself to a series of rigorous medical check-ups before the deal was agreed, according to the Evening Standard.

It is understood AEG has obtained insurance against Jackson falling ill and being unable to perform.

The source said: ‘The concerts will be absolutely amazing. It will be the whole shebang. Jackson will sing and also dance. He would have to be in good health or else nobody would insure the concerts  -  and we have got insurance.

‘This will be the biggest musical event of the decade. We have had the comebacks of the Spice Girls and Led Zeppelin but this is on another level.’

However, shocking news…he might have to lipsynch parts of the show (gasp!!!):

The pop star, acquitted in 2005 of child molestation charges, last performed in London in 2006, singing a verse and chorus of We Are The World. It was widely regarded as a disaster. One source fears Jackson may even have to mime parts of the new show.

The source close to the O2 and who is skeptical of the comeback said: ‘This will be all smoke and mirrors, lots of explosions and very little of the rest. I fear he could mime some parts.’

He’s been forced out of hiding because he has astronomical debts and no way of paying them back unless he does something drastic.  He’s already arranged a rummage sale of some of his personal possessions, and the concerts are seen as a last-ditch effort to try and salvage MJ from total financial meltdown.

Even if these performances do come to pass, with MJ being so incredibly sick (he is often seen in a wheelchair, and almost always seen with a surgical mask), what sort of show can he realistically put on?  Let’s put it this way…I’ll believe it when I see it.

Does that bare spot on your wall over the sofa just scream out for something to fill it in?  Are you a monolimb who needs a glove to keep only one hand warm?  Is the dirt driveway at the end of your doublewide in need of special gates to keep intruders out?  Then you’re in luck, because Michael Jackson is having one whopper of a rummage sale:

As the former King of Pop is rumoured to be almost bankrupt, he is selling off furniture and art from his California ranch.

The auction will be conducted in Beverly Hills by Julien’s Auctions between April 22 and 25, with some of the proceeds going to The MusiCares Foundation.

So if you’re in the area, or just want to get some memorabilia, clear your calendar and pick yourself up some one-of-a-kind treasures!  From a set of sparkly gloves to a Ms. Pac-Man game to a Rolls Royce with 24k trim inside worth upwards of $200,000, you too can live like an emotionally stunted body-dysmorphic recluse!

In other MJ news, it is now being rumored that he is suffering from a staph infection which is causing him a lot of pain and could be permanently disfiguring (more so than he already is):

MICHAEL JACKSON is suffering from an acute MRSA-type skin infection which threatens to EAT his flesh.

The singer has been receiving antibiotics via a drip in a bid to beat the superbug, which sources say has spread throughout his body.

Jacko, 50, revealed painfully-inflamed skin on his face and hands as he visited a Beverly Hills clinic where he is being treated.

The stricken pop legend may have contracted the infection following plastic surgery on his NOSE, it was feared last night.

The 50-year-old Billie Jean singer is said to have a severe “staph” infection, resistant to conventional antibiotics.

Experts warned it threatened to develop into a terrifying flesh-eating disorder which could kill off areas of the superstar’s skin and leave him in need of major reconstructive surgery.

Jacko has been receiving antibiotics via an IV drip in a bid to beat the condition.

But the skin on his face and hands looked inflamed when he was snapped on his way to a Beverly Hills clinic during another week of intense treatment.

A source revealed last night: “Michael Jackson has a severe staph infection that he contracted during work to reconstruct his nose.

“The disease is an MRSA-style infection because it is resistant to conventional antibiotics, so he has been visiting a clinic to get antibiotics via an IV drip.

“The infection has spread throughout his face and body and is being aggressively treated by doctors.

“There’s a chance it could turn into a flesh-eating disorder where it begins to kill off his skin so he’s being very carefully monitored.”

FOD (Friend of Dawn) blogger and author Ian Halperin has recently declared that MJ is suffering from a serious lung disease that could be fatal:

NYT bestselling author and celeb biographer and blogger, Ian Halperin has issued a challenge to beleaguered pop idol Michael Jackson to prove he is NOT dying of deadly lung disease. As was reported in several news outlets over the last few weeks, Jackson was said to be suffering from a “rare genetic condition called Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency” and would die within 6 months if he didn’t receive a lung transplant. In addition, Halperin, who has written a book on the troubled star, states that Jackson is most at risk from “chronic gastrointestinal bleeding” and has lost vision in one eye.

Of course, Jackson’s camp and his “official one and only spokeperson”, a Dr. Tohme Tohme (seriously?) have emphatically denied these claims as “a total fabrication” and claim that in fact, Jackson is great health and pursuing many lucrative and fancy business deal.

The National Enquirer (hey don’t laugh, they’ve gotten some big stories right lately) is also corroborating Jackson illness, and cite painkillers as a source of much of Jackson physical deterioration over the years:

A source close to the star divulged: “It’s tragic. His condition is just so far gone, I’d be surprised if he lasts six months.

“Painkillers and booze have caught up with him. The only way he was able to cope with the stress of sex scandals and his roller-coaster life was to mask the pain with substance abuse.

“But the end result is an addiction that will kill him.”

And Ian is now reporting that the staph infection is a separate illness which is affecting his treatment for Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency:

[...] reliable sources inside Jackson’s camp tell me that the reason for his visits to the clinic are in fact to receive regular injections of alpha-1 antitrypsin, a substance that is derived from human plasma and which is often used to effectively treat the symptoms of Alpha 1.

While I have been told that the treatment has succeeded in arresting the most severe symptoms that Jackson was suffering as recently as last December, there have been some “setbacks” in recent weeks.

It’s possible that one of those setbacks has been the onset of an MRSA bug as has been reported by the British tabloids today but so far I’m told the stories aren’t true.

Just last week, Perez Hilton posted an item noting that “there may be something seriously wrong with the King of Pop” and showing a photo of Jackson leaving the clinic with puffy disfigured hands.

According to medical literature, one of the symptoms of Alpa 1 Anitrypsin deficiency is panniculitis, characterized by subcutaneous inflammation of the skin similar to the symptoms seen in the photo posted by Perez.

Michael’s camp, predictably, is denying the whole thing.

Could it be that it is this infection that is the cause of Michael’s illness instead of the lung problem?  Or, as Ian alleges, is it a combination of the two, or perhaps something else entirely…could it be that everything is finally catching up with him and it is all combining to make him one sick man?  With Michael Jackson, you never know, but it is obvious to all that he is one sick man and any supposed “comeback” is, quite obviously, not going to happen, at least not any time in the near future.

Those poor children.