Michael Jackson: The man and the myths

[*Mo*]

Rumours that Michael slept in an oxygen tent to help him live longer were false.

Michael Jackson: The man and the myths
By Dominic Utton, 20/06/2010

1. THRILLER WAS NEARLY BINNED BEFORE ITS RELEASED - TRUE
The biggest-selling album of all time was nearly abandoned - because Michael wasn't happy with the songs. In an early '80s interview, the star recalled: "Thriller sounded so c**p. The mixes sucked. When we listened to the album, there were tears - I cried like a baby. I stormed out of the room and said: 'Call CBS and tell them they are not getting this album. We are not releasing this.' I felt terrible. I borrowed a bicycle and rode up to the school yard and watched the children play. When I got back, I was ready to rule the world. I went into the studio and turned the songs out."

2. HE SLEPT IN AN OXYGEN TENT TO HELP HIM LIVE LONGER - FALSE
In 1986 the National Enquirer published a photo of Michael lying in an oxygen chamber. It was claimed that he slept in it every night in the hope of extending his life by 150 years. But not only was the story untrue, it was invented by Michael himself after he posed for the picture during a hospital visit. He released the rumour to appear more "enigmatic".

3. HE TRIED TO BUY THE ELEPHANT MAN'S BONES - FALSE

In the late '80s it was reported that Michael wanted to buy the remains of Joseph Merrick- aka The Elephant Man - and had even offered The London Medical College almost £700,000 for the 100-year-old bones. The rumour was later found to be made up - once again, by Jackson's own publicity team. In 1993, Michael said: "I love the story of the Elephant Man. It made me cry because I saw myself in the story. But no, I never asked for the bones. Where am I going to put some bones?"

4. BUBBLES SLEPT IN HIS BEDROOM AND SHARED HIS TOILET - TRUE

Adopted as a baby chimp in the early '80s, Bubbles became Michael's most-loved pet and a constant companion. He sat in on recording sessions of the Bad album and was on set while the video was filmed. They were so close that Bubbles not only accompanied Michael on tour, but the singer revealed that at home in Neverland, the chimp slept in a crib in the star's bedroom and was even trained to use Michael's private toilet. The public's fascination with his pet amused Michael: when rival singer Prince reportedly tried to use ESP (extrasensory perception) to "send Bubbles crazy", Michael found the story hilarious - biographer Randy Taraborrelli said his staff claimed they'd never seen him laugh so much.

5: MICHAEL'S HAIR WAS SET ALIGHT ON STAGE - TRUE

In 1984, while filming an advert for Pepsi, a firework display behind the star showered him with sparks and one of them set light to the gel in his hair. As he struggled to cover his head with his jacket, Michael's brothers ran over to help and he was rushed to hospital suffering from second-degree burns. Members of the 3,000-strong audience reported that the singer had appeared so calm, they hadn't realised anything was wrong. "He was wonderful," said fan Virginia Watson. "He reassured people even as he was being taken away on a stretcher."

6: HIS BRAIN WAS REMOVED AFTER HIS DEATH - TRUE
In the blizzard of rumours and hearsay that emerged after Michael's death, this story stood out as one of the grislier - and more improbable. But it turns out to be true. According to Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter, a portion of the singer's brain was held after the autopsy for further tests and was returned to the family after the rest of the body.It seems that with premature deaths, where the body was in good health and a specific cause is not clear, such tests are standard procedure.

7: HIS MARRIAGE TO LISA MARIE PRESLEY WAS A SHAM - FALSE

Despite the naysayers, Michael's 1994 marriage to Elvis Presley's only daughter was the real thing. The union of the two most famous surnames in rock and pop history was based on genuine mutual love. Lisa Marie later explained: "I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt I could do it." And in case there were any doubts that the marriage was complete, she described their relationship as: "A married couple's life... that was sexually active."

8: DIAMONDS ARE BEING MADE OUT OF HIS HAIR - TRUE
Last July, Chicago company LifeGem revealed that it had obtained some of the hair Jackson lost while filming his infamous 1984 Pepsi commercial - and that they were converting it into diamonds. LifeGem has a patent on the technique - which involves extracting carbon from the hair and turning it into crystals. Founder Dean VandenBiesen told news agency Reuters that he had enough to make 10 diamonds from Jackson's locks. Three years ago, he made three diamonds from Beethoven's hair, each worth £137,000.

Source: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/84 ... myths.html

[paula-c]

! falsehood, which the brain removed?, that of Michael? :lol:  ,.... he is playing with the tabloids :lol:

[mjj4ever777]

Made diamonds out of his hair??? :?  :lol:

[GirlSaturday]

#8
Are the diamonds created from his hair or from the wigs?  :lol:  Yep I had to go there.

[bec]

In 1984, while filming an advert for Pepsi, a firework display behind the star showered him with sparks and one of them set light to the gel in his hair. As he struggled to cover his head with his jacket, Michael's brothers ran over to help and he was rushed to hospital suffering from second-degree burns. Members of the 3,000-strong audience reported that the singer had appeared so calm, they hadn't realised anything was wrong. "He was wonderful," said fan Virginia Watson. "He reassured people even as he was being taken away on a stretcher."

We know both of these things aren't true. We saw the tape.