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1
« on: November 28, 2013, 04:56:15 PM »
MICHAEL JACKSON ESTATE
Rips Conrad Murray Over Penis-Holding Claims
YOU'RE A SHAMEFUL COWARD
11/28/2013 10:00 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF
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BREAKING NEWS
The Michael Jackson Estate has had just about enough of Dr. Conrad Murray running his mouth -- talking about things like how he used to hold MJ's penis every night -- and now it's demanding he shut up once and for all ... or face a lawsuit.
MJ Estate lawyer Howard Weitzman fired off a cease and desist letter to Murray earlier this week, writing, "Your recent comments to the media about Mr. Jackson’s medical treatment and ultimate death shamefully violate the physician-patient privilege under California law."
He calls Murray a COWARD for attempting to use the media to defend himself ... instead of testifying in court during his manslaughter trial.
If Murray keeps talking, Weitzman says the Estate will file suit -- and will subsequently inform any medical board with which Murray attempts to obtain his medical license that he violates the doctor-patient privilege willy-nilly.
As we reported, Murray has been blabbing his big mouth all over the place ... telling reporters all sorts of sordid details about MJ, like how the singer couldn't hold in his pee while he was sleeping ... and how he held MJ's penis every night.
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2
« on: November 26, 2013, 07:54:15 AM »
How Do You Explain This, Conrad? Michael Jackson’s Fingerprints Were Never Found On The Vials Which Death Doc Claims Pop Star Injected!
Posted on Nov 25, 2013 @ 14:39PM | By Jen Heger - Assistant Managing Editor
Conrad Murray-lie exposed michael jackson
Michael Jackson‘s death doctor, Conrad Murray, has insisted the singer accidentally ended his own life after injecting himself with a lethal dose of a surgical anesthetic.
But the singer’s former personal physician has been caught in what appears to be an EPIC lie: The King of Pop’s fingerprints were never found on any of the medical equipment or vials which were found at the Holmby Hills, Calif., death scene.
In his first interview after being released from prison, the defiant doctor said: “That night he just couldn’t sleep. I prescribed him drugs to help, including valium and lorazepam [an anti-anxiety treatment], but he was begging, pleading, close to tears. ‘I want sleep, please Dr Conrad, I need sleep.’ I told him, ‘This is not normal. What I’ve given you would put an elephant to sleep.’
“In the other bedroom [Michael’s private chamber], the police found an open bottle of lorazepam. They found tablets in his stomach. I didn’t give him those. Michael took extra tablets. And he injected himself.”
But as RadarOnline.com first revealed in the middle of Murray’s involuntary manslaughter trial, Jackson’s fingerprints were never found on ANY Propofol or Lorazepam bottles, or intravenous tubing.
“The Los Angeles Police Department didn’t find any fingerprints of Michael Jackson’s on any Propofol bottles or the Lorazepam bottles. There were no partial fingerprints of Michael’s or any unknown prints on the medication bottles,” revealed a source close to the initial investigation.
During Murray’s media blitz since being released from jail, the disgraced doctor has said Jackson wasn’t the biological father to his three children — Prince, 16; Paris, 16; and Prince Michael II, 10, who’s also known as Blanket — and that he held the legendary singer’s penis every night whilst he administered Propofol.
In another development, RadarOnline.com has learned Jackson family matriarch Katherine was “implored” by the Deputy District Attorney to seek restitution from the disgraced medico.
But Jackson’s mother refused to pursue that option, because her attorneys who would later unsuccessfully try her wrongful death lawsuit against AEG Live believed it would jeopardize their case.
Said one source: “Katherine now has to read all of this utter nonsense that Conrad is spewing to any media outlet that will listen. Murray is so delusional and narcissistic, the claims that he is making about Michael will only get more sensational.”
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3
« on: May 21, 2013, 06:25:22 PM »
LunaJo67 published these videos about King Jordan Radio interviews with Thomas Mesereau. i just finished listening to Tom. Both interviews are absolutely worth listening imho.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGevUjB71H8 [/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srn8wdh9r6s [/youtube]
LOVE
4
« on: May 07, 2013, 07:53:37 AM »
Autopsy reveals Michael Jackson's secrets
By Alan Duke, CNN
May 7, 2013 -- Updated 0931 GMT (1731 HKT)
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Jurors hearing the Michael Jackson wrongful death trial have a stark vision of the dead pop icon after a lawyer showed them an autopsy photo.
Jackson's unclothed corpse lying on a coroner's table looked nothing like the world's most famous entertainer.
The doctor who conducted Jackson's autopsy returns to the witness stand for a second day Tuesday in the trial to decide if concert promoter AEG Live shares blame in his death with Dr. Conrad Murray.
Much of what jurors heard for the first time is a repeat of the scientific evidence presented in the trial of Murray, who is now serving a prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. But some of what is in the coroner's report seems to give more insight into Michael Jackson's life rather than how he died.
Dr. Christopher Rogers noted in his autopsy report that Jackson's lips were tattooed pink, while his eyebrows were a dark tattoo. The front of his scalp was also tattooed black, apparently to blend his hairline in with the wigs he wore.
The autopsy confirmed what Jackson told people who questioned why his skin tone became lighter in the 1980s. Jackson had "vitiligo, a skin pigmentation disease," Rogers said. "So, some areas of the skin appear light and others appear dark."
Jackson lawyer Michael Koskoff made sure the jury heard that, even though it had nothing to do with how he died.
Jackson's mother and three children are suing AEG Live, contending the company that was promoting his "This Is It" shows was liable for his death because of the negligent hiring, retention and supervision of Murray.
AEG Live argues that Jackson chose Murray as his tour doctor and that the company had no way of knowing he was using the surgical anesthetic propofol to put the singer to sleep each night.
Rogers concluded that a propofol overdose killed Jackson, although several sedatives Murray gave him that morning contributed to his death.
Los Angeles coroner's toxicologist Dan Anderson, who studied the drugs in Jackson's body, testified Monday that the level of propofol found in Jackson's body was "consistent with major surgery anesthesia."
Propofol is a dangerous drug when not used properly, he said.
The Los Angeles coroner's office found 31 deaths in the last 14 years in which propofol was found in a body, including six suicides committed by medical personnel -- doctors, nurses and anesthesiologists -- who chose the drug to end their lives, Anderson said.
There have also been several homicides with propofol, including "a mercy killing" in a hospital, he testified.
If not for his death by propofol, Jackson's health appeared good enough for him to live a normal lifespan, Rogers testified.
"There was no indication from the autopsy that there was anything anatomically wrong with him that would lead to premature death," Rogers said.
He had no signs of being addicted to street drugs, such as needle marks or disease, he said.
That testimony is important for the Jackson case, since if the jury decides AEG is liable in his death, his expected lifespan will be key to calculating damages. Jackson lawyers will contend that he would have made billions of dollars in the remaining years through several more world tours, merchandizing, recording and movies.
The next witness up after Rogers Tuesday will be a cardiologist, Dr. Daniel Wohgeternter, who will be called as an expert to offer analysis of Murray's skills and decisions.
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Register or Login"There was no indication from the autopsy that there was anything anatomically wrong with him that would lead to premature death," Rogers said.
He had no signs of being addicted to street drugs, such as needle marks or disease, he said. An autopsy on Michael Jackson revealed that the King of Pop's emaciated body was riddled with needle marks and scars, and his head was virtually bald, it was reported today.
Jackson's body had wasted away to a mere 112 pounds, and his stomach was completely empty except for partially dissolved pills, according to the London Sun. You are not allowed to view links.
Register or LoginNow see the difference in reporting.. Another proof of sensationalism and how media is reporting lies wrapped in juicy gossip.
LOVE always
5
« on: April 17, 2013, 05:15:03 PM »
Unshakeable opinions over Michael Jackson death
Date
April 16, 2013
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Who doesn't know details about Michael Jackson's death? Canadian singer-songwriter David Walsh certainly had to be recused as a juror.
The extensive connections of Michael Jackson, his family and friends have been a challenge for a US judge trying to select an impartial jury for his mother's wrongful death lawsuit against the company that promoted Jackson's ill-fated This is It concert.
As individual questioning finally began on Monday, some jury prospects who had passed the written portion of the process had to be excused because of personal connections.
Among them was David Walsh, a Canadian singer-songwriter who said he had met members of the musical Jackson family and was friends with Lisa Marie Presley, Jackson's ex-wife. He said his own manager was on the witness list.
"I've had friends in Michael's band and my best friend was a backup singer on the This is It concert," Walsh said.
Walsh said he had formed opinions about the case that were probably unshakeable.
Katherine Jackson's suit claims AEG endangered Jackson's life by hiring an incompetent doctor, Conrad Murray, to look after the superstar singer.
AEG lawyers are expected to argue that Jackson was complicit in his own demise by insisting on hiring Murray and demanding the anaesthetic propofol to help him sleep.
The latest phase of jury selection came after jurors filled out questionnaires about their views on Jackson, his family and his life and death.
A preliminary group of 104 prospects was immediately reduced by six when members reported hardships or acquaintances on the witness list.
By day's end, 17 prospects had been excused, most because the extended length of the trial would cause them financial hardship. The case is expected to last for months.
More panellists sent notes to Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos before court recessed for the day, asking to be excused.
One member of the jury pool said he had met Dr Conrad Murray at a barbecue sometime after Jackson's death and they had a social conversation. But he said he didn't realise who Murray was, and once he did he stopped talking to him. He remained on the panel.
Murray is serving a prison term after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death from an overdose of propofol. Jackson died in his bed in June 2009 at the age of 50.
Complicating the case is the fact that neither Jackson nor AEG had signed Murray's $US150,000 ($A146,092)-a-month contract. Jackson died before Murray was paid.
Katherine Jackson's lawyers contend AEG was negligent in failing to investigate Murray's qualifications before hiring him.
AP
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6
« on: April 02, 2013, 04:50:47 PM »
Jury Selection Begins For Jackson Family Lawsuit Against AEG
Airdate: 04/02/2013
Jury selection is underway at the sensational Michael Jackson trial and there's $40 billion on the line.
That's the staggering amount his mother Katherine Jackson is reportedly seeking in a
wrongful death suit against AEG, the promoter of the King of Pop's ill-fated "This Is It" concert tour.
There is a 24 page questionnaire that a pool of 105 potential jurors must fill out at Los Angeles Superior Court. It asks questions like, 'Are you familiar with Michael Jackson and prescription drug dependency? Your opinion of Michael Jackson as a performer and a person? "
And there are indicatations that Michael Jackson’s past could be dredged up with questions like, "Have you formed an opinion whether Michael Jackson was responsible for his own death?"
INSIDE EDITION spoke to Tom Mesereau, Jackson’s attorney during his 2005 child molestation case.
He said, "I think the defendants are concerned that Michael Jackson fans will be on the jury. That people will be very receptive and sympathetic to Katherine Jackson and the children will be on the jury."
The lawsuit claims that AEG put "its desire for massive profits from the tour over the health and safety of Michael Jackson,” an accusation the concert promoter flatly denies.
Two of Michael’s children, eldest son Prince and daughter Paris, are expected to testify about their dad's final days.
Diane Dimond, special correspondent Newsweek / DailyBeast.com said, "It will obviously have to take a toll on them. Paris is especially a strong child, but the word after Prince's deposition was that he broke down."
At the heart of the lawsuit is the role Dr. Conrad Murray played in Michael’s death.
The lawsuit claims AEG insisted Murray do whatever necessary to get Michael through rehearsals for the "This Is It" tour.
"We want to remind (Murray) that it is AEG, not MJ [Michael Jackson], who is paying his salary," one AEG e-mail reportedly reads.
Dimond said, "His estate is already worth a billion dollars. Now, his mother is going for 40 billion more. That is a lot of money. It is also inflicting emotional pain on his children. I don't think Michael Jackson would be very pleased."
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7
« on: January 20, 2013, 05:01:15 AM »
Katherine Jackson
I Need Help from the Doc
Who Killed My Son
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Katherine Jackson is reaching out to the man who killed her son because she needs him badly for something ... TMZ has learned.
Katherine is in the throes of a wrongful death lawsuit against AEG, claiming the company negligently hired Dr. Conrad Murray and failed to properly supervise him.
Here's the problem. She needs Murray on the record, explaining how the arrangement went down, so she's subpoenaed the jailed Doc. Katherine wants Murray to acknowledge AEG masterminded the plan to bring him on board.
It's ironic, to say the least, but Katherine is dealing with some bad options. She can go after Murray, but he doesn't have a pot to piss in. Or, she can try to bring him into the fold in order to go after the deep pockets -- AEG.
Now the real problem -- Murray's not cooperating. His lawyers, Valerie Wass and J. Michael Flanagan, are fighting the subpoena, trying to get it tossed on technical grounds.
So Katherine can persist ... and a judge could order Murray to tell all. But she doesn't want to unnecessarily antagonize the Doc, because a hostile witness is often a bad witness.
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8
« on: January 04, 2013, 06:49:57 PM »
Michael Jackson fan gets gift from artist's estate
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Community Haven resident James Waddell dances to a Micheal Jackson video on Friday. Attorneys from Jackson's estate sent Waddell memorabilia, including a sequined glove, after learning that he was a huge fan.
STAFF PHOTO / DAN WAGNER
By Gabrielle Russon
Published: Friday, January 4, 2013 at 6:06 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, January 4, 2013 at 6:06 p.m.
SARASOTA - James Waddell wears his shiny Michael Jackson glove on his left hand on vacation, at ballgames and practically everywhere else.
So of course Waddell asked for more Jackson music during a Christmas party last month that volunteers threw for him and other developmentally disabled residents at Community Haven.
He got his wish with a Jackson CD.
But the gifts kept coming for Waddell after he was featured in a holiday news story that caught the attention of the attorneys who administer Jackson's estate.
The Los Angeles attorneys recently sent a box of Jackson memorabilia, including a collection of concert DVDs, a Wii game and a T-shirt.
“Happy holidays and all of our best wishes for you in 2013!” said a letter written by a paralegal on behalf of attorneys John Branca and John McClain.
Waddell was, of course, delighted.
“He's Michael Jackson through and through,” said Kim Clark, a marketing coordinator at the Sarasota facility where Waddell, 46, has lived for 10 years. “Michael just makes him happy.”
On Friday, Waddell put on his curly black wig and a shiny red jacket that still had a No. 44 label from last year's Halloween costume contest.
Waddell showed off his new presents and listened to one of the concert DVDs in his living room.
Then he danced as if nobody was watching.
His feet shuffled on the carpet. He pumped his arms in the air and then shook his gloved left hand.
When Jackson took off his glove and flung it on the video, Waddell did the same.
A few minutes later, Waddell was still dancing as he headed to his job washing dishes at the Community Haven kitchen.NOTEStart
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9
« on: December 27, 2012, 07:33:26 AM »
The Day And The Life Of Michael Jackson To Become A Stage Play?? -- Details Inside!
Posted by DADDYMACK on December 26, 2012 at 4:30pm
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It's been thre years since the king of pop (Michael Jackson) has passed away. Many conspiracy theories surrounding the Iconic figures death still lingers on in the mind of many, as to why did he all of sudden not want to live anymore and dies in his sleep. Forever Missed my many- RIP Michael jackson.--Daddymack!!!!!
We getting word that Michael has a play in the works about his life. According to the Newyork AP, Some key figures who helped manage Michael Jackson‘s career are teaming up to create a stage musical about the behind-the-scenes making of a superstar that producers call a cross between “Goodfellas” and “Dreamgirls.”
Producers Mark Lamica, Quincy Krashna, Jerry Greenberg, Raymond Del Barrio and Larry Hart will join forces to present “The Man,” a fictional show inspired by the rise of Jackson, Elvis Presley and Whitney Houston. The story will be told through the eyes of a manager.
“We want this project to be a compelling, gritty, entertaining tale, that tells the story of the price of fame in a new way,” said Lamica, who served as a partner with the late Frank Dileo, who was Jackson’s manager.
“The Man,” with a book by Lamica and Grammy Award-winning composer Hart, is expected to open in Las Vegas in the late fall of 2013. The show will have all original music and will follow the superstar from the 80s to 2005.The producing team last combined to create “Larry Hart’s Sisterella,” a pop-rock update of the Cinderella fable that Jackson was an executive producer on before his death.
Greenberg was president of Jackson’s jointly owned record label with Sony Music for 11 years. Krashna is another Dileo partner who also worked with Jackson.
Lamica, in a statement, called the musical an “epic, music driven dramatic work” and said he is drawing widely from personal experiences. “This is a fictional template and story that, with some variation, fits a number of global celebrities,” he added.--Hiphopnews24-7.com will keep you updated!
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Register or LoginI believe that Michael has multiple creative projects in the works at the moment  Go Michael!! :bearhug:
10
« on: November 03, 2012, 06:09:25 AM »
Dr. Conrad Murray's girlfriend says they get death threats
Last Updated: 1:21 PM, November 2, 2012
Posted: 1:20 PM, November 2, 2012
Dr. Conrad Murray’s girlfriend Nicole Alvarez has spoken out for the first time since Murray’s incarceration at LA County’s Men’s Central Jail.
Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the death of Michael Jackson and will remain behind bars for four years. She tells Inside Edition that Murray is not taking his sentence well, adding that he was suicidal upon entering prison.
“Living in jail is hell on Earth,” she said, telling the show that she visits Murray every week and speaks to him three times a week by phone.
Alvarez, an actress, believes they have been “shunned” by Hollywood, and they continually receive death threats.
INSIDE EDITION
Nicole Alvarez believes she and boyfriend Dr. Conrad Murray have been “shunned” by Hollywood
“He was made the villain, and I was made the villainess…I was imprisoned in my home for two years.”
She insists that Murray did not kill the legendary singer, adding that her boyfriend was trying to get Jackson off of drugs. She says he will not apologize for Jackson’s death.
“He [Murray] was trying to clean up the mess, and it fell on him like he was the hot potato...He is sorry for the loss, but to be apologetic is to accept fault. You are not allowed to view links.
Register or Loginfrom Inside Edition:Dr. Conrad Murray's Girlfriend Continues To Stand By Him
Airdate: 11/02/2012
She's the girlfriend of Dr. Conrad Murray, the man convicted of killlng Michael Jackson.
Now, one year after the verdict that stunned the world, Nicole Alvarez is breaking her silence. In this INSIDE EDITION exclusive, Alvarez reveals startling new details about Murray's life behind bars.
INSIDE EDITION's Jim Moret said, "You are in love with one of the most hated men in America."
"He's lost a lot of weight, down about 25 pounds," said Alvarez.
Alvarez got worldwide attention when she testified at Murray's manslaughter trial in a revealing outfit, and it was this statement from her that raised a lot of eyebrows:
"As a professional actress, my daily duties consist of maintaining my instrument."
An attorney asked, "When you refer to an instrument, what are you referring to?"
"Myself. As an actor, your instrument is yourself," replied Alvarez.
"It was memorable and I'm sure you thought, 'What did I just say,' " said Moret.
"Yes," said Alvarez.
She met Dr. Murray in 2005 at a nightclub in Las Vegas and she says they quickly fell in love.
Moret asked, "Do you love Conrad Murray?"
"Absolutely," replied Alvarez.
"And you stood by him," said Moret.
"Yes."
Moret asked, "And continue to stand by him?"
"Yes," said Alvarez.
In March 2009, three months before Jackson died from a Propofol overdose, Alvarez gave birth to their son, Che.
"Where does your son think his dad is?" asked Moret.
She replied, "He believes he is working. He has asked me several times, 'Mom, where is poppy?'"
Murray, a cardiologist, was hired by Jackson to be his personal physician as he prepared to embark on his final concert tour.
Murray has been portrayed as a drug pusher but Alvarez says he actually did his best to get Jackson off drugs.
"He was trying to clean up the mess and it just fell. It fell on him. He was like the hot potato," said Alvarez.
At the trial, the prosecution portrayed Murray as a womanizer. It wasn't just Alvarez who took the stand. There was another girlfriend. Then another. And another. A total of four beautiful young women, including an exotic dancer.
Moret asked, "Did you feel betrayed at all when you saw these women come up and talk about their relationship with him?"
Alvarez sighed, "Initially, I did because I thought, 'What an idiot. What am I doing here? Why am I still standing here by your side?' "
This is the first time since the day the guilty verdict was read that Alvarez watched the video of that moment, and it was difficult for her to watch.
"That was awful. I can't even watch. I don't want to watch the rest," she said.
Murray was handcuffed and taken away to begin serving four years at Los Angeles' notorious Twin Towers Jail. He's being held in solitary confinement.
Each week, Alvarez is allowed three phone calls and two visits in person. INSIDE EDITION joined her today as she made her way to the jail.
Alvarez described her visit, saying, "I sit down at this window. It's a glass window. I try to get there after they have uncuffed him, because it can't stomach it."
Moret asked, "You put your hand to the glass?"
"Yeah, we'll put our hand up to the glass or he'll give me a hug and I give him a hug and we'll hug each other like this," said Alvarez.
Murray maintains his innocence, and Alvarez says he has no reason to apologize for his role in the death of Michael Jackson.
"He definitely is sorry for the loss, but to be apologetic is to accept fault," she said.
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11
« on: November 02, 2012, 09:23:51 AM »
Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour by Cirque du Soleil Tops Hot Tours
november 01, 2012 | By Bob Allen, Nashville
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Cirque du Soleil's concert touring production, Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour ranks No. 1 on this week's Hot Tours ranking with box office totals reported from an multi-show run in London during October. The O2 Arena hosted the tour for eight nights (Oct. 12-14, 16-17, 19-21), selling out every show and amassing a combined attendance count of 78,777 for the run. The overall gross was £4.5 million ($7.2 million US$) for the Live Nation-promoted production.
Since launching its North American leg in Oct. 2011, the Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour has played to more than 1.5 million people with ticket sales revenue topping $163 million. The London run kicked off the tour's European leg with dates booked until Dec. 29. The 2013 schedule begins in Russia in January and continues through April.
During the past week, Latin American concert promoter OCESA reported box office gross and attendance counts for touring artists who have been on the road this fall in Mexico. Four of those artists land on this week's Hot Tours recap. Ranking fourth is Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz with $3 million in ticket sales at two venues. On Oct. 13, he played to a crowd of 47,144 at Mexico City baseball stadium, Foro Sol with a gross of 24.7 million pesos ($1.9 million). Two shows in Monterrey's 8,000-seat indoor amphitheater, Auditorio Banamex drew a total of 13,391 attendees on Oct. 19 and 20.
Alejandro Fernández takes the No. 8 slot among the top-grossing tours of the week with ticket sales totaling $2.2 million at two Mexican venues. On Sept. 7 and 8 he performed at Arena VFG, the Guadalajara arena named in honor of his father, legendary ranchera singer Vicente Fernández. Attendance at the arena totaled 19,078 for both performances. He also played two shows in Monterrey's Auditorio Banamex with 13,348 tickets sold for both nights, Oct. 5 and 6.
Rounding out the OCESA tours in the top 10 is Spanish rocker Enrique Bunbury who ranks No. 9 with $1.3 million in ticket sales from three concerts in Mexican venues during September. He performed in Guadalajara on Sept. 8 at Auditorio Telmex, at Auditorio Banamex in Monterrey on Sept. 22 and at Mexico City's Sports Palace on Sept. 28.
Following Bunbury at No. 10 is pop group Big Time Rush who also performed at the same venues in Mexico City and Monterrey on Sept. 25 and 26. An additional concert that occurred earlier in the month at i wireless Center in Moline, Ill. was also reported this week giving the Nickelodeon boy band a total gross of $1.3 million from all three shows.
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12
« on: October 23, 2012, 04:11:27 PM »
A superfan's view on Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour
It might be another Jackson estate moneyspinner, but the Cirque du Soleil show has some moving moments, says superfan Les Slater
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Interview by Laura Barnett
The Guardian, Sunday 21 October 2012 18.00 BST
Confusing … Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour.
I've loved Michael for as long as I can remember. When I was 16, I took a coach from Birmingham to London to camp outside his hotel for three days. Some of us followed him to Hamleys toy shop and spoke to him outside. Michael was always happy to talk to his fans, even when his security guards told him he shouldn't.
And then it just snowballed. I saw Michael live many times, and I now know most of the Jacksons well. Over the years, I've been working on a Jackson Five tattoo – each time I meet one of the brothers, I ask him to autograph my body, then go to the nearest tattoo parlour to have it made permanent. The family know all about it: last year, they invited me to Vegas so I could get Marlon's and complete the set.
So when I heard that Cirque du Soleil was making a show about Michael, I was intrigued: the tabloids always said Michael's life was a circus, so it seemed ironic. I've now seen the show 19 times – starting with the premiere in Montreal last year, then in Las Vegas, now in London. Each time I see it, I find something new to admire.
The last time, I saw Jonathan "Sugarfoot" Moffett – Michael's drummer, who plays in the show – look up, kiss his fingers, and blow a kiss into the sky to Michael. It's a really moving moment. Some fans say they're boycotting the show because it's endorsed by Michael's estate. They feel the estate is just making money out of the fans; they won't buy any records or merchandise released since his death, either. I don't agree with that, which is why I'm not a member of any of the official fan clubs. I think a show like this is a brilliant way of keeping Michael's memory alive.
If you're a fan of Cirque rather than Michael, though, I can see why you might find the show frustrating: the storyline's quite confusing, and there's little in the way of acrobatics. At the last show I saw, someone actually shouted out: "Do some acrobatics!" Really, the show is just about the dancing and the music – which makes sense, because that's what Michael's life was about, too.
• Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour is at the Birmingham NIA and the Manchester Arena in March. Details: cirquedusoleil.com You are not allowed to view links.
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I'm posting this review because this is a positive review among many biased and rediculous reviews of the O2 shows I've been reading. I agree to most of what she wrote and not just because it's a review from a fan, but more because I think it is unbiased and she has made a true point here: "the show is just about the dancing and the music – which makes sense, because that's what Michael's life was about, too".
I'm just saying that this show was AWESOME, I loved it!!! Even though I watched the show from a very high seat (:errrr: no I've no fear of heights). Even my hubby, who's not a fan but likes his music, was impressed and loved every act and song and was even woohoo-ing :icon_bounce: next to me :icon_lol: I tried to watch with rational "hoaxy" eyes :icon_cool: though that was quite an effort because there were too many breathtaking awe moments which were often heart touching. I felt like I wanted to absorb every act, song, color, effect because this show is created and performed in such MJ detail. Amazing! What was striking is Michael's face on the screen and when a dancer hit the screen his face shattered in pieces. I haven't seen the Giving Tree/Tree of Life :icon_question: which I thought had a quite significant meaning. I don't know about the other shows but in the show on the 19th the song "Gone Too Soon" started and stopped after about 15 sec, followed by the song "I'll Be There" ..."when there is love I'll be there" :icon_cool: which was beautiful and interesting to say the least imho. "Will You Be There" was captivating with all those red lighted hearts in unity and my heart skipped a beat when MJ's hologram appeared on stage. An incredibly amazing show with Michael's presence sensible in every way. I wouldn't have missed it for one bit and I would definitely watch the show again..probably I would see more clues then. Btw, before the show they played songs of the Invincible album :icon_e_biggrin: which was already a good start because it is my fav album. Well, this was my personal review.
Of course I'm always curious about your thoughts.
with LOVE
13
« on: October 12, 2012, 03:43:41 PM »
PARIS JACKSON DISMISSES REALITY TV SHOW RUMOURS
Friday October 12,2012
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MICHAEL JACKSON's daughter Paris has dismissed rumours suggesting the famous family is preparing to let TV cameras into its home as part of a new reality show.
The teenager has stepped into the spotlight in recent years following the death of her superstar father in 2009, and she is currently attempting to launch an acting career.
Recent rumours suggested plans were being put together to feature Paris and her brothers, Prince and Blanket, in a fly-on-the-wall TV show, but Paris is adamant the reports are not true.
When asked about a possible reality show deal, Paris tells Etonline.com, "No. I like to keep some parts of our life private, you know?"
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14
« on: September 27, 2012, 05:17:09 PM »
Sept. 27, 2012
J.K. Rowling has found success few authors could dream of, but managing her worldwide fame is something the notoriously private author still wrestles with as she prepares for the release of her highly-anticipated adult novel, "The Casual Vacancy."
"I once have used a disguise," Rowling, 47, said in an exclusive and rare television interview with "Nightline" anchor Cynthia McFadden in Edinburgh, Scotland. "It was effective. It's how I managed to buy my own wedding dress. But I am not going to tell you what it was, in case I have to use it again. But it did work."
Rowling's Harry Potter books have sold more than 450 million copies, been translated into 73 languages and produced eight blockbuster movies, making her the first billionaire author. But the woman who built an empire using made-up words such as, "codswallop," "Hufflepuff" and "veritaserum" left that magical world behind to write about a much grittier place, one called Pagford, where characters use words like "condom," "heroin" and "vagina."
The frenzy of interest in "The Causal Vacancy" has the publisher guarding it like the Sorcerer's Stone, keeping its plot under lock and key until its Sept. 27 release date. (McFadden and ABC News producers read the manuscript, kept protected in the publisher Little, Brown and Company's New York office).
Rowling's world hasn't been ordinary for quite some time. She was on a train when she first dreamed up her idea for a story about the boy wizard in 1990. "The Casual Vacancy" came to her five years ago while she was on a private jet, touring the United States to promote the last Harry Potter book.
"When I first became, what I called rich, and actually, that was way before a lot of people would have called me rich, it was uncomfortable," she said. "The shift was so dramatic. I found it very disorientating. I felt guilty, strange, out of order, didn't know what to do, was scared I was going to blow it in some way and my daughter's security would be gone."
It's a fear that became very real when Rowling discovered that a journalist had managed to slip a note into her 5-year-old daughter's school bag one day.
"That was pretty much the worst thing that ever happened to me," Rowling said. "It felt like something the secret police would do, just to prove they could get there.... To this day, I think that was the worst thing."
Last year, Rowling, along with actors Hugh Grant and Sienna Miller, testified before a judge-led committee investigating Britain's aggressive tabloids. Rowling said she grappled with the decision to testify for some time.
"I thought long and hard before doing that," she said. "Because you're in this paradoxical situation where you're sitting up in front of live cameras, and in the interest of your privacy, you're kind of invading your privacy. But…it was quite healing."
She even considered writing "The Casual Vacancy" under a pseudonym, but decided against it in the end.
"I desperately needed to write this book," Rowling said. "Not because I wanted to prove anything, not because I felt I had to write a novel for adults. None of that. You know, people ask me that sort of question a lot. I've never sat down to write anything, thinking, 'What am I proving today?' Never. It's just not how I would write.... That was just a story I really wanted to tell."
Although "The Causal Vacancy" is already a bestseller online -- No. 1 on Amazon's top 100 bestselling book list, as of this writing, after being featured for 82 weeks -- Rowling is at peace with the likely reality that her second act won't repeat Harry Potter's global success.
"['The Casual Vacancy'] won't sell as many books as Harry Potter because I think lightning doesn't strike twice," she said. "But I accepted that a long time ago, I think back in 2000. I remember thinking this won't happen again. It will never happen again… I'm not complaining about that, but 'Harry' is done."
Knowing when to let go and move forward is a lesson Rowling said she learned from Michael Jackson, the king of pop who grew up to light the world on fire with his own "Thriller."
"He wanted to do 'Thriller' again and again and again and instead of accepting that he had produced one of the best albums of all time, and he would always have that, and freeing him to do, I don't know, to do something maybe a little more offbeat or explore, and risk failure, I mean, it's tragic, actually. It's very, very sad that someone with that amount of talent would be chasing that," she said.
Rowling said all those years she spent being broke and forcing herself to keep rebuilding from the ground up when publishers wouldn't read her manuscripts taught her to face failure and helped liberate her to be even more creative.
"I do feel free to write what I want to write," she said. "Having been at rock-bottom, it truly does give you a certain insulation from then on, because whatever happens, and clearly I'd rather the book went well than it didn't. I mean I'm human. But, but I do have a sense of perspective."
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15
« on: September 16, 2012, 07:18:04 AM »
Spike Lee calls media treatment of MJ 'shameful'
The Canadian Press
Published Saturday, Sep. 15, 2012 1:30PM EDT
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Filmmaker Spike Lee poses for a photo as he promotes the movie "Bad 25" during the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Saturday Sept. 15, 2012. (The Canadian Press/Chris Young)
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TORONTO -- Spike Lee's new documentary "Bad 25" captures Michael Jackson in the turbulent time before he crafted 1987's "Bad," a period when the notoriously meticulous King of Pop worked with feverish obsession on trying to top his own megahit "Thriller" while the tabloids vigorously devoured the remnants of his personal life.
But even after "Bad" made good and topped charts around the world, the album's release saw the decided shift of attention from Jackson's pristine pop to his apparently bizarre personal behaviour (Chimps! Amusement parks! The Elephant Man's bones!).
And for that media-fuelled rubbernecking, Lee says there's plenty of shame to go around.
"People, they had the hater-ade. They were drinking hater-ade," the two-time Academy Award nominee said in an interview from a swanky hotel suite Saturday during the Toronto International Film Festival, where the movie screened.
"Read the reviews of the 'Bad' album. They wrote like this was some piece of (crap). And (they) don't call him by his name -- 'Wacko Jacko?' It's shameful.... Those people should be ashamed what they did to him."
And while Lee's reverential film remains studiously focused on Jackson's work, it also reveals much about an intensely private man who really never experienced privacy.
"Bad 25" picks up in the wake of the titanic success of Jackson's second album as an adult solo artist, 1982's game-changing stunner "Thriller." The best-selling album of all time, "Thriller"'s sales numbers are still too gaudy to believe -- after all, it's been certified platinum 29 times over in the U.S. alone while going twice diamond in Canada.
But Jackson wasn't satisfied with that. Just as he was determined to make "Thriller" a much bigger success than his 1979 disco-informed classic "Off the Wall," Jackson thought he could similarly top the biggest hit of all time. As Lee's film uncovers, Jackson even used to scrawl "100,000,000" on mirrors and notebooks as a reminder to himself of the impossibly lofty sales number he wanted to achieve with "Bad."
Of course, that produced an almost unprecedented amount of self-imposed pressure for a pop artist.
So Lee's film captures Jackson obsessing over not just the 11 tracks that formed "Bad" but also its ambitious music videos (one of which was directed by film luminary Martin Scorsese), the choreography of the album's eventual epic tour (which included a show in front of 72,000 fans at London's Wembley Stadium) or even bits of promotional minutiae only tangentially related to Jackson's music.
(As an example, one of the film's lighter moments arrives in the form of self-shot archival footage of Jackson acting out specific instructions for the animators of a California Raisin commercial that was to feature his image).
Lee says Jackson believed that he couldn't stop pushing himself or everything he had worked to build would deteriorate.
"He was not stupid," said Lee, clad in a glittering Michael Jackson T-shirt with matching custom Nike kicks.
"He saw people, black artists, who were at the top and then broke. He saw many great black artists who were confined to just being black artists.
"Michael's about breaking boundaries."
Still, Lee can't necessarily relate to Jackson's unyielding eye for detail.
"There's nothing wrong with being a perfectionist. Now, me, I'm not going to do 80 takes like David Fincher of somebody picking up a magazine. I'm not going to do that!" he adds, laughing as he picks up and slams a nearby lifestyle mag for emphasis.
"But it was his money.... He put his money into his work."
And Lee does identify with Jackson in other ways.
The legendary filmmaker behind "Do the Right Thing" and "Malcolm X" was born in 1957, a year before Jackson.
He vividly recalls seeing Jackson as the overwhelmingly gifted young phenom headlining the Jackson 5 when they first shimmied across the stage at "The Ed Sullivan Show." Years later, Lee was a film-school student left so enthralled by the videos for "Thriller," "Billie Jean" and, yes, "Bad," that he aspired to helm such clips himself.
So when Jackson died in summer 2009 after a cardiac arrest (his doctor, Conrad Murray, was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter), Lee was devastated.
"I was messed up for months about that," said the 55-year-old. "I grew up with Michael. I'm a year older than him. When I was 10, he was nine. So I didn't know him, but I saw him grow up."
Along with Lee's film, the 25th anniversary of "Bad" is being celebrated with a spiffy new deluxe re-release on Tuesday.
The new two-disc set includes a remastered version of the original album, plus a slate of worthy B-sides that were once axed from its concise tracklist. (With characteristic honesty, Lee dismisses a portion of the second disc's new material, screwing his face into a frown as he warns: "Forget about the remixes.")
Lee doesn't think there's room for debate over how the record -- which featured such hits as the title track, "Man in the Mirror," "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Smooth Criminal" -- wears its age.
"Look at the Billboard charts when 'Bad' was released 25 years ago, and then listen to those songs, and see if they still sound contemporary or dated," said Lee, whose film will air on ABC on Nov. 22 in Canada.
"'Bad' still stands up. Those other songs that were on the Top 10 list 25 years ago? Who were they? Thin Lizzy? Are we still speaking about those people?" he asks incredulously. (In actual fact, Billboard's Top 10 the first week "Bad" topped the charts included Whitney Houston's sophomore album alongside the "La Bamba" soundtrack and records by Whitesnake, Def Leppard and Heart.)
"The greats will stand the test of time. It's not even an argument."
Although Lee has condemned those who eagerly gawked at Jackson's downfall (the film doesn't cover the accusations of child sexual abuse brought against the singer in 1993), he does admit to some level of curiosity about one specific element of Jackson's life: his gradually lightening skin tone.
While it was later reported that Jackson's colour was changing due to the skin condition vitiligo and treatments for lupus, Lee watched the transition with some interest.
"Black folks were wondering about (that) -- I'm not going to lie," Lee said with a chuckle, pinching his own skin. "Because Michael never came public that he had this disease. I was one of them. Like, 'Wait a minute man. What's up brother?'
"I'm not going to lie. That's full disclosure. And I'm not speaking on behalf of 45 million African Americans, but there were discussions about Michael's complexion."
Of course, there were discussions about virtually every element of Jackson's life.
Lee had access to a deep well of sensational archival footage, supplementing original interviews conducted with Jackson collaborators including Scorsese and director Joe Pytka (as well as such admirers as Kanye West, Mariah Carey and Canada's Justin Bieber) with clips of Jackson in the studio or warming up on video sets.
But amid all the shots of Jackson fervently fretting over some seemingly insignificant tone or lyric, there are revealing insights about the strange way he lived his life.
This is a man who adopted devious disguises just to meet up with his brothers for dinner, whose every public appearance devolved into hysteria and whose earliest memories of childhood were indivisible from showbiz.
"He had to sing and dance to eat since he was six years old," Lee said simply.
At one point in the film, a teary-eyed confidante of Jackson's relates a conversation they shared in which the singer yearned to be a fly on the wall at a party, to see what normal people talked about.
And one of the bonus tracks on "Bad 25" is the knotted, claustrophobic "Price of Fame," in which Jackson laments the cost of dealing with the demands of a massive audience that's blindly obsessed with him.
Lee doesn't think long when asked what that cost was.
"Look, he's not here. He's not here. Not in this physical form," he replies.
"You get to be the most recognizable person on this planet, there's a price for that.... You could say he paid with his life, really."
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