<p>I agree with GA2012MOM. In addition, normal adults don’t sleep in the bed with other people’s ids.</p>
<p>I’m not idolizing MJ. I think there has been far too much coverage of his death. The last time I remember the equivalent of such coverage was when President Kennedy was assassinated. MJ was no Jack Kennedy.</p>
<p>Michael Jackson did eccentric things, but he was never a pedophile.</p>
<p>tenisghs, yes, he was eccentric. He had a chimp named bubbles, a zoo, slept in an oxygen chamber, had plastic surgery to the point he looked like a freak, and wanted to buy the remains of the elephant man. Yes, very eccentric.</p>
<p>He also slept with young boys.</p>
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<p>He was not a CONVICTED pedophile, and O.J. Simpson was not a CONVICTED murderer.</p>
<p>Let’s agree to let this part of the discussion rest for now. I do not in any way idolizing MJ and I heard a lot about the trial when it was going on in my backyard but today is his memorial. Clearly his family and friends are suffering. Let it go.</p>
<p>^^^ I agree. This is his day. I hope Michael Jackson rests in peace. He was truly the King of Pop music. He doesn’t have to worry about unwanted accusations against him anymore.</p>
<p>“He was among the first to perform in a humanitarian concert…”
This is the third time I have heard this re M. Jackson. And sorry, I just can’t let that sort of glaring mistake go by again. Humanitarian concerts go back hundreds of years. Some that come to mind…Chopin performing in support of Polish relief and more “recent” history…the Concert for Bangladesh. Give me a day or two and I can come up with a few hundred more.</p>
<p>^^^ The “We Are the World” album was among the most successful humanitarian concerts, raising over $63 million for Africa, almost an unprecedented amount for such a venue at the time.</p>
<p>You just said he “was among the first” … just sayin</p>
<p>I didn’t watch the Memorial service for Michael Jackson, but I did see footage of his poor daughter, telling the assemblage what a wonderful father he was, and expressing her love and grief in a most heartbreaking manner. I just feel so badly for the children.</p>
<p>And just a footnote concerning his allegedly “sleeping” in an oxygen chamber. I heard a number of years ago, that that never happened. Supposedly, he asked to lay down inside one to “see what it was like”. He only spent a few moments inside one, and his picture was taken while inside. That picture, as well as the rumor that he regularly “slept” in an oxygen chamber were tabloid fodder for months. I’ve heard that Michael sometimes liked to “play up” the weirdness factor for its entertainment value, and without a doubt, a lot of his reputation for eccentricity was honestly earned, but I have the feeling that in most things, he was more normal than a lot of people will ever know.</p>
<p>until the molestation accusations, MJ’s PR instincts were more or less along the lines of ‘no publicity is bad publicity.’ Those stories of the oxygen chamber and other oddities were in fact myths created and released into the media by MJ’s own people. The idea was to keep him mysterious and in the news. </p>
<p>Personally I never liked his music. But I thought he was a heck of a dancer and showman, savvy enough to take break dancing, an urban (i.e. black) street art, and make it palatable to white suburbanites. In that respect, he’s not unlike that other freakish creation of fame, Elvis.</p>
<p>Michael Jackson was the greatest live entertainer ever, had 10 songs that were #1 hits, had the best-selling music album of all-time, paved the way for modern hip hop and basically launched MTV.</p>
<p>He is the most famous personality to die since Princess Diana and arguably JFK. There is no comparison.</p>
<p>RIP Michael Jackson.</p>
<p>"Michael Jackson Kids’ New Family: 15 Reasons to Freak
Jackson Kids Move in With Grandma, Inherit Wacky Cadre Including Uncles, Cousin Jermajesty</p>
<p>Uncle Jermaine sired eight children with four women. One is Aunt Hazel, the daughter of famous Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. Your cousin Dawn has much in common with Blanket: Neither knows who their biological mother is. All that, from his official biography on IMDb.com.</p>
<p>Uncle Jermaine also slept with Uncle Randy’s wife, Alejandra Oaziaza, and had two kids with her, according to family biographers. So that makes Randy Jackson’s first three children sisters and brothers – or maybe cousins. Go figure. And while on the CMT reality show, “Gone Country,” he confessed to seeing people “from the 1800s” when the lights are off.</p>
<p>Don’t get any ideas about getting a cat. Aunt LeToya demonstrated her feline phobia in 2007, when she appeared on the reality show “Armed and Famous” by hysterically screaming and locking herself in a squad car. In 1980, she posed nude for Playboy with a snake…</p>
<p>[For those wondering about updates on others in the Jackson 5.]</p>
<p>Tito Jackson, 55, formed a blues band several years ago and plays at small venues for $500 to $1,500 a gig. Randy Jackson, 46, works as an auto mechanic. Marlon Jackson, 51, stocks groceries at a supermarket and was forced to leave his foreclosed home.</p>
<p>Jackie Jackson, 56, and son started a struggling Internet clothing business. Jermaine Jackson, 54, splits time between his mother’s and girlfriend’s homes with more than $5 million in liens against him from a 1995 bankruptcy filing…</p>
<p>[Michael</a> Jackson’s Kids Have 15 Reasons to Freak Out Over New Family - ABC News](<a href=“http://a.abcnews.com/Entertainment/MichaelJackson/Story?id=7967375&page=1]Michael”>http://a.abcnews.com/Entertainment/MichaelJackson/Story?id=7967375&page=1)</p>
<p>Northstarmom, that is so depressing. I was wondering why MJ hadn’t specified in his will that the children go to one of his sibs. Now I know!</p>
<p>Ah, they sound like such a typical “All American Family.” (wish I knew how to do rolling eyes)</p>
<p>Let’s not get carried away, Ring of Fire.</p>
<p>MJ did not “basically launch MTV.” Yes, the distinction of being the first Black artist to appear on that music video channel is Michael’s, but that fact speaks more to the clearly racist and oddball attitudes of MTV at the time. Other Blacks should have appeared on MTV, as Rick James famously said at the time…“they had a no-N*****s policy.”</p>
<p>Let’s not conflagurated Jackson’s immense talent and immense personality with that of the tragic Princess of Wales. That does MJ a diservice.</p>
<p>While MJ was a fantastic performer- I have a bit of a problem with the glorification that is going on. I do believe that he had a tragic life despite his fame and fortune. I also believe that many hangers-on took great advantage of his naivete. And this includes many of his family members. Nonetheless, I also think he made many bad choices and hurt people because of them. While I can get past the monkey, the nosejobs, the ranch and the toys, I can’t get past the allegations of child molestation. </p>
<p>I am concerned about the three children- I think it was unwise of the Jackson family to “unveil” them at the service. Despite MJ’s problems, my guess is that he had good instincts about the privacy and safety of his kids- he knew better than anyone what this type of fame can do to one’s childhood.</p>
<p>"Nonetheless, I also think he made many bad choices and hurt people because of them. While I can get past the monkey, the nosejobs, the ranch and the toys, I can’t get past the allegations of child molestation. </p>
<p>I am concerned about the three children- I think it was unwise of the Jackson family to “unveil” them at the service. Despite MJ’s problems, my guess is that he had good instincts about the privacy and safety of his kids- he knew better than anyone what this type of fame can do to one’s childhood."</p>
<p>I completely agree.</p>
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<p>Michael Jackson was just meh.
I thought he was very derivative, not original at all. The ‘moonwalk’ dance was not invented by MJ, it is from the '50’s or earlier, a dancer named Bill Bailey was the first person I believe who was filmed doing it. (google it)</p>
<p>Anyone who believes MJ’s moves were original and brilliant really needs to have a re-look at movies like “White Christmas”, google the “Abraham” number, or the “Choreography” number, where Vera-Ellen is astonishing. Try West Side Story, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers or Newsies, if you want amazing male dancing. </p>
<p>Any summer stock production here in Maine has dancers that are better than Michael Jackson. Not to mention, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and Ben Vereen (google “Glory” from Pippin) were all superior, and much more than dancing, they also acted and sang. There was snap and wit in those performances, it’s a shame to forget that.</p>
<p>I don’t think he “paved the way for modern hip-hop”, that would be Lauryn Hill and the Fugees, MC Hammer, etc. MJ was strictly into pop.</p>
<p>I’m just trying to put MJ in perspective. I didn’t think his songs were THAT great when they came out, the lyrics were inane, and the beat was boring. I was living in Europe, listening to Thomas Dolby, The Clash, The Smiths, and Elvis Costello – Michael Jackson just seemed average. I remember coming back to NY and my cousins showing me MTV and I said “Let me get this straight – you guys just sit there and watch commercials?” And they said “Yeah. Basically”.</p>
<p>I thought MJ’s appearance and lifestyle was horror-movie worthy, I’m surprised that Hollywood didn’t see the cinematic potential there. But the next MJ off-shoot will be a slurry of tell-all books by anyone who ever had an encounter w Michael Jackson ever.</p>
<p>I caught a brief shot of Joe Jackson on stage at the memorial. Was Katherine there?I did not see her, but then again, I didn’t watch the entire thing-I tuned in late and then watched the reruns of various snippets. </p>
<p>Regarding his talent- He may well have been derivative- most great artists are. What made him unique, however, was his ability to perform- he made it look like he had invented something new, and he did since no one before him combined all these elements the way he did.</p>
<p>I agree there will be a slurry of tell all books. There will also be massive marketing of the footage of the last rehearsals. Also release of the previously unreleased stuff he wrote. </p>
<p>I strongly suspect that Conrad Murray will be going down, and perhaps other doctors and health professionals. I don’t believe that MJ injected himself with Lidocaine and then Dipravan. And I do think that’s gonna be the cause of death. If so, I want everyone who participated in the procurement and administration of these various drugs prosecuted to the full extent of the law. MJ may have made the bad choices regarding the use of drugs, but someone gave him the final injections.</p>
<p>Any news on the burial ?</p>