Michael Jackson Death Hoax Investigators
Persons Of Interest => Everyone Else => Michael's Impersonators => Topic started by: the arabian nights on April 02, 2010, 05:01:10 PM
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This guy meet mike 5 days before mike's death
the concerts were to happen - mike was recruiting Ernest to be in the CONCERT
he said "I was supposed to be on the This is it tour"
[youtube:2pb6pntw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9rKgcDkc_k[/youtube:2pb6pntw]
interesting
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earnest valentino
[youtube:209byozy]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGtHLTPz-WQ[/youtube:209byozy]
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGUhHv3E ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGUhHv3E8v8&feature=related)
about the message
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z4m1vFh ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z4m1vFhjmY&feature=related)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5JulslE ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5JulslECmo&feature=related)
half way through said he meet with mike 5 days before and he was to be on the TII tour - WOW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9AGy4VW ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9AGy4VW-60&feature=related)
in poland - you could get confused???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okh8y73S ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okh8y73Sfgo&feature=related)
wow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUpWGkb- ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUpWGkb-fdo&feature=related)
brilliant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULXFtRQ5 ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULXFtRQ5pv0&feature=related)
so he meet mike and the killer thriller party - there were demo's on re sony
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gOJbc9R ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gOJbc9Ral0&feature=related)
what to be starting something
[youtube:fddj0xzr]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihAZcHHG46c&feature=player_embedded#at=154[/youtube:fddj0xzr]
earth song
Earnest Valentino performing his favorite song of all time in front of The King of Pop, and at one point in the song Earnest looks up, and points to Michael who gave him 2 thumbs up, and of course he became even more nerves that he forgot to change costumes for this song given he had Butterflies
he has the mj bounce
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X64riUDd ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X64riUDd3-c&feature=related)
they dont care about us
from afar could you tell?
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2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi16BCXt ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi16BCXtfO4&feature=related)
and direct comparisons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcjt4CXc ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcjt4CXcLnA&feature=related)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcjt4CXc ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcjt4CXcLnA&feature=related)
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I really like this person!
The way he follows and shares the message.
When his asked about his voice... is the MJ tender alike what makes their voices similar.
They look alike, same height, dances good...
Good stuff to polish by a team to seem MJ. ;)
For the way he says MJ´s death took him and taking into account he saw him 5 days before 25J, I would say he couldn´t imagine MJ could pass away, so I guess he didn´t saw him weak.
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amazing this is the first time i have heard a double saying he was to be in the concert
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Indeed!
A good embassador.
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why did he see mike on 20th June, when was he to be in the TII and in what capacity?
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I ask myself the same questions.
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i woke up thinking, that Ernest had been asked by mike to be in the Concerts, not the rehearsals, mike had only being dancing in the rehearsals in the last few days.
the footage we have seen did not have Ernest because he was asked to be in the Concerts.
why did mike want him in the concerts, was he not up to the general dancing... was Ernest to be mikes understudy.... but he would not have been able just to walk in because he would need to know the stage the placing etc
he could not have been to be a stunt double because he had them already, or the film work had been shot already.
more interesting is that mike thought the concerts were going ahead, so it was not a hoax to get out of the concerts, he planned to he be doing the concerts.
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the only explanation now - i feel is that mike is dead
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the only explanation now - i feel is that mike is dead
okay calm down. you're going to lose faith after some impersonator says he was asked to be on the TII shows? come on now. take another look at the questions list. there's 7 pages of unanswered questions where NOTHING adds up. people can post all the interviews with all the impersonators they want, it doesn't answer those questions. and those questions should be fairly easy to answer if michael were dead. i think the title of this topic is a little harsh.
p.s. how do we even know this guy is credible?
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the only explanation now - i feel is that mike is dead
okay calm down. you're going to lose faith after some impersonator says he was asked to be on the TII shows? come on now. take another look at the questions list. there's 7 pages of unanswered questions where NOTHING adds up. people can post all the interviews with all the impersonators they want, it doesn't answer those questions. and those questions should be fairly easy to answer if michael were dead. i think the title of this topic is a little harsh.
p.s. how do we even know this guy is credible?
thanks for your post - what should i change it to - i do not know i have made a few attempts as my views have changed?
but the thing is this is the first time someone has said that they were recruited for the concerts and just before the concerts - and not doing the rehearsals - this is a visible double talking
navi was asked to be in the TII movie - to tidy it up - not the rehearsals and not the concerts.
to me this is proof that mike wanted and was going to do the concerts but needed an understudy just in case
he was not able to fulfil that, he envisaged himself doing the concerts - so no hoax
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the only explanation now - i feel is that mike is dead
okay calm down. you're going to lose faith after some impersonator says he was asked to be on the TII shows? come on now. take another look at the questions list. there's 7 pages of unanswered questions where NOTHING adds up. people can post all the interviews with all the impersonators they want, it doesn't answer those questions. and those questions should be fairly easy to answer if michael were dead. i think the title of this topic is a little harsh.
p.s. how do we even know this guy is credible?
thanks for your post - what should i change it to - i do not know i have made a few attempts as my views have changed?
but the thing is this is the first time someone has said that they were recruited for the concerts and just before the concerts - and not doing the rehearsals - this is a visible double talking
navi was asked to be in the TII movie - to tidy it up - not the rehearsals and not the concerts.
to me this is proof that mike wanted and was going to do the concerts but needed an understudy just in case
he was not able to fulfil that, he envisaged himself doing the concerts - so no hoax
for title: perhaps "concerts were to happen?" since this still isn't 100% proof that they were.
and who is to say that they won't happen? not that i'm expecting any big performance from michael when he comes back, but if he does and this guy is telling the truth, then maybe he'll be used for the shows. however, i don't really understand a purpose for him. what was he going to do? perform as michael jackson? this isn't amateur hour. this would be a huge ass sold out concert. the tickets would be expensive. i think michael has more respect for his fans than to have some double lip sync and dance as him on stage when his fans have come to see "the man" and paid a lot of money too. sorry, but this video of an impersonator is not going to make me throw in my hoax towel. i hope it doesn't make you either. keep the faith! :)
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this guy ernest has a number of mikes body moves - from afar could you tell
yes it is strange in what capacity was it to be in the concerts
i think mike could have felt on starting his actual performance that his was a step to far - the reality
the tickets having already being sold, everything set to go, one postponement already
what could he do - maybe step one - understudy Ernest Valentino
maybe step two - opportunity to hoax
i dont know - it does seem to me and that is all i can say i suppose is that mike envisaged that the concernts were to occur
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he left it a bit late to involve him in the concerts they did not have that long to rehearse did they it was all left to the last minute which is strange for michael as he rehearsed all the time for a long period.
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but he didnt rehearse for months, he was in london in March, he was involved in pre - production, attending some of the auditions, then the dancers started in April/May the troop only moved to staples in june and that is when mike joined them, i understand it was only for a few rehearsal days, he did alot of meetings, he worked on production of the mini films
his stage attendance was limited, but enough i would say to give him a taste
if you look at the footage above Ernest had played numbers, he had been on a big stage, and yes would not know the format
but he sure knew mikes body moves - one of the best i think - i thought wow
so maybe it was a - had to do - understudy
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but he didnt rehearse for months, he was in london in March, he was involved in pre - production, attending some of the auditions, then the dancers started in April/May the troop only moved to staples in june and that is when mike joined them, i understand it was only for a few rehearsal days, he did alot of meetings, he worked on production of the mini films
his stage attendance was limited, but enough i would say to give him a taste
if you look at the footage above Ernest had played numbers, he had been on a big stage, and yes would not know the format
but he sure knew mikes body moves - one of the best i think - i thought wow
so maybe it was a - had to do - understudy
to the first paragraph: i think that's the point. this whole thing was a set up from the get-go. let's be real. michael had 50 shows to do. he wanted to create it as his "comeback tour"- his FINAL shows in london. this would mean that these shows would have to blow people away. so, let's say starting in march, michael had less than half a year to plan, create everything, rehearse, ship all the stuff across the US and ocean, set up the staging and practice before the shows there and establish himself and his family before actually starting the tour. now...we all know of michael's genius and greatness, but 5 months to do all of this? highly, highly unlikely. and may i remind you that production wasn't even complete 2 weeks before the first date of the show. does that sound like a tour that is ready to proceed? or more bluntly, a tour at all?
and, i'm not going to lie...i can do mc hammer's moves to "can't touch this" impeccably. does that mean i could be his double? i think we can't forget all the people who have made money off michael's name since he "died." it doesn't matter whether they're talking shit or saying sweet nothings, if at the end of the day they're getting paid for their interview, it's all a joke.
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but he didnt rehearse for months, he was in london in March, he was involved in pre - production, attending some of the auditions, then the dancers started in April/May the troop only moved to staples in june and that is when mike joined them, i understand it was only for a few rehearsal days, he did alot of meetings, he worked on production of the mini films
his stage attendance was limited, but enough i would say to give him a taste
if you look at the footage above Ernest had played numbers, he had been on a big stage, and yes would not know the format
but he sure knew mikes body moves - one of the best i think - i thought wow
so maybe it was a - had to do - understudy
to the first paragraph: i think that's the point. this whole thing was a set up from the get-go. let's be real. michael had 50 shows to do. he wanted to create it as his "comeback tour"- his FINAL shows in london. this would mean that these shows would have to blow people away. so, let's say starting in march, michael had less than half a year to plan, create everything, rehearse, ship all the stuff across the US and ocean, set up the staging and practice before the shows there and establish himself and his family before actually starting the tour. now...we all know of michael's genius and greatness, but 5 months to do all of this? highly, highly unlikely. and may i remind you that production wasn't even complete 2 weeks before the first date of the show. does that sound like a tour that is ready to proceed? or more bluntly, a tour at all?
and, i'm not going to lie...i can do mc hammer's moves to "can't touch this" impeccably. does that mean i could be his double? i think we can't forget all the people who have made money off michael's name since he "died." it doesn't matter whether they're talking shit or saying sweet nothings, if at the end of the day they're getting paid for their interview, it's all a joke.
paragraph one - yes your right they werent ready and i think we are talking about 3 monts much less than 1/2 a year - as you were saying
but you doing mc hammer in your home, a party piece or at a club is not the same as being paid professionally and Ernest was, on some big stages - i think he could be a possible understudy.
agree with you about this being a money train
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to the first paragraph: i think that's the point. this whole thing was a set up from the get-go. let's be real. michael had 50 shows to do. he wanted to create it as his "comeback tour"- his FINAL shows in london. this would mean that these shows would have to blow people away. so, let's say starting in march, michael had less than half a year to plan, create everything, rehearse, ship all the stuff across the US and ocean, set up the staging and practice before the shows there and establish himself and his family before actually starting the tour. now...we all know of michael's genius and greatness, but 5 months to do all of this? highly, highly unlikely. and may i remind you that production wasn't even complete 2 weeks before the first date of the show. does that sound like a tour that is ready to proceed? or more bluntly, a tour at all?
I agree on the above. I'd like to add the following - how do we know for sure all 50 shows went on sale? Various articles on the internet state 750.000 tickets were sold. Since June 25th we have seen many many fans on the boards, yet very few mention they indeed indeed purchased tickets for the This Is It gigs. I can't help but think that only the tickets for the 10 originally planned gigs went on sale...
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Something else to keep in mind, which clearly proves to me O2 was not going to happen:
THE ABSENCE OF THE RIDER!
Radar Online published the AEG contract months ago, yet there's no rider. The contract rider includes specifications on stage design, sound systems, lighting rigs, as well as an artist's wish list--from transportation and billing to dressing room accommodations and meals. The rider is the most important part of a gig contract. Without a signed rider, there is NO CONTRACT AT ALL.
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please link to contract
so mo - please explain your view on Ernest?
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what Mo said
Well, I was following the ticketsale as i waited 5 hours in line online to get tickets. And there were first 10 shows.. When they were gone more and more dates kept coming up as they sold out. So supposedly there were tickets for 50 shows. But.. I do know a guy who said to me that he suspected the company behind the show (AEG/Sony) to be the ones to (allegedly) "buy" up loads of tickets to make it look like there were sold more than there actually was. I do disagree with his argument as he though Michael Jackson would not be able to sell out 50 shows that fast. - But really.. I'm sure would be.
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Something else to keep in mind, which clearly proves to me O2 was not going to happen:
THE ABSENCE OF THE RIDER!
Radar Online published the AEG contract months ago, yet there's no rider. The contract rider includes specifications on stage design, sound systems, lighting rigs, as well as an artist's wish list--from transportation and billing to dressing room accommodations and meals. The rider is the most important part of a gig contract. Without a signed rider, there is NO CONTRACT AT ALL.
That is surely strange if correct.
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i think he did not want to do the concerts but was doing them and was grooming a standin/understudy just in case
i think medical negligence took him away
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please link to contract
I uploaded it to our server, that was easier than digging through the Radar Online website.
http://www.michaeljacksonhoaxforum.com/AEG_contract.pdf (http://www.michaeljacksonhoaxforum.com/AEG_contract.pdf)
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valentino's myspace
http://www.myspace.com/earnestvalentino (http://www.myspace.com/earnestvalentino)
he did promotions for mike
Born (October 1965) and raised in St. Petersburg/Florida in a middle class family.
He was "infected" by Michael Jackson at the age of eight, after a friend had taken him to a Jackson 5 concert. He started doing Michael at the age of eight and immediately won trophies in talent shows and dance contests. His first major award he received for performing the song "Dancing Machine", where he danced with no shoes on, just his glitter socks!
In 1978 Earnest and three friends from the neighborhood formed the group "The Jacksons" and did shows all over Florida with great success. Those were the times of afro hair styles and bellbottoms - just like the original brothers - and lots of screaming teenage girls. Earnest was known for being an extremely fast dancer and did an impressive number of eight (!) spins on stage. Earnests family however did not support his ambition: his father thought that impersonation and show-business in general were not an acceptable occupation. His mother would refuse to drive him to his shows, but since nothing could stop him from his dedication he would either walk or hitchhike to get there.
Every day after school he would rehearse in his room till late at night and drove his mother crazy. She hoped that breaking his albums would stop her son, but he would always replace his music - until she took his stereo ... In the beginning Earnest taught himself- he used to stand on his toes barefoot, since he never wore shoes when he practiced - and even made his own costumes, a skill he learned by taking sewing classes in school. So basically he was on his own, with no family support, but with a lot of talent a strong determination to make it happen in show business.
The group split up on 1986, and soon after Earnest was "snatched" away from Florida by talent scouts and moved to New York to start his solo-career.
In 1987, Earnest Valentino was booked directly from New York City into a major amusement park in Europe. During his five-year engagement Mr. Valentino presented an immensely successful show. He functioned as producer, choreographer and main act in his cast of celebrity impersonators - and fascinated more than 2,5 Mio. Visitors, a record-breaking number in this theater!
But that was only the beginning of his career in Europe. Numerous TV appearances, galas, corporate events, advertisement contracts as well as official promotions for Michael Jacksons European tours, and became the official representative of Mr. Jacksons licensee company "Mystery" since 1997.
In 2002 Earnest Valentino performed at the "Killer Thriller-Party" in London/Equinox, a major support event, where Michael Jackson personally attended, watched and highly appreciated Earnest Valentinos 45-minute show, hugging him on stage and stated: "Earnest, you are great!" in front of screaming fans from all over the world.
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i think he did not want to do the concerts but was doing them and was grooming a standin/understudy just in case
i think medical negligence took him away
I read on one of the forums that MJ was contracted to appear for only a certain amount of time in each concert with look-alikes appearing in the more energetic dance routines. Maybe that was his role.
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medley pretty good
[youtube:2j8qaa6s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUpWGkb-fdo&NR=1[/youtube:2j8qaa6s]
in concert 2009
[youtube:2j8qaa6s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2owquQh3m8[/youtube:2j8qaa6s]
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He has no cleft in his chin and if you notice, he said "This is It TOUR" It wasn't a tour...it was concerts...at one place...50...one place...NO TOUR.
another thing...he is BOW LEGGED....MJ is KNOCK KNEED.... NO MATCH
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it seems ernest was involved is a mega world show - huge audiences big sets hmmmm
he was in paris and russia november 2009?????
the king of pop show - he seemed to know the moves in a big stage setting hmmm
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He has no cleft in his chin and if you notice, he said "This is It TOUR" It wasn't a tour...it was concerts...at one place...50...one place...NO TOUR.
another thing...he is BOW LEGGED....MJ is KNOCK KNEED.... NO MATCH
no it was to start with 50 shows but then his manager said on vid that mike knew he had to do a minimum of 50 shows a city and that it was to last 3 years the dancers were contracted for 2 years - if you add up the time 4 years that mike refered to.
the manager said that he also spoke to mike the night before and he still wanted to the concerts (strange mike was reported dead then hmmm)
its on one my millions of postings i think on the one about aeg/sony being the true criminals
you see it was a tour - a concert tour
he agreed to do it - so get to do the movies he wanted - that was the deal he did with the devil he is reported as having said.
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I think we have more proof that they werent to happen...this is just someone stating they were to be on the TOUR! I get that MJ didnt change the routine much, but I thinK Valentino would have to attend rehersals more than once on the 20th... thats just crazy
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Wait a minute, arabian. We were talking about this yesterday, I saw the videos but I understood it other way. I understand from what Earnest says is just that he was going to "visit" MJ on tour. I never understood he was going to be involved at all. If he meant to be on stage, the press would have got crazy with such a declaration. I don´t think Earnest had nothing to do with the "tour". I think you´re having one of those crazy moments when everything seems to fit in the bad way... ;)
Anyway, whether the concerts were meant to be or not, there´s still lot of room for the hoax. I´ve been always believing in the hoax taking into account both of the possibilities.
No concerts meant to be: MJ was planning it for a while.
Concerts meant to be: It was all in a rush, attempt of murder... whatever.
Even if we found out MJ is dead, I would think in the murder possibility. In 25J I thought it couldn´t be true, and if it was and MJ was death I had the feeling of the murder from the very first instant. Actually the possibility of CM negligency is the only one with no sense to me.
I hope this will help to come back to belief. ;)
BIG HUG and LOTS OF L.O.V.E. :)
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i thought mike was knocked kneed i did not want to say,
all i am spectulating on is that mike and ernest agreed he would do the concerts, the filmed rehearsals had already happened the stunt guys had done that already
so why have ernest on the concerts - as a standby or understudy - note my use of words here i think it was a precaution - too much - just in case
what i am saying is that he intended to do - even if he was killing himself to do it
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i dont think that is what ernest said - but i will have another look
yes seems like no rehearsals - strange - but he does seem to be a real professional he did major events after on the King of Pop tour - isnt that strange - he knew the sets - what do you think
need easter eggs going crazy
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4 gods sake MJ did rehearsals... but Valentino didnt need to rehearse!!! I dunno what his role was going to be but makes no sense to me...
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i dont think that is what ernest said - but i will have another look
yes seems like no rehearsals - strange - but he does seem to be a real professional he did major events after on the King of Pop tour - isnt that strange - he knew the sets - what do you think
need easter eggs going crazy
:lol: :lol: :lol: easter eggs...
arabian you were digging deep yesterday, I think you have one of those moments...
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frank - look at this
[youtube:2zoi990t]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cNeJjA6LlM&feature=player_embedded[/youtube:2zoi990t]
at 3.10 he says michael had told him last night that he really want to do the concerts - hi mike's supposed to be dead!!!!!
at 3.20 he say that they talked about doing the 50 shows and then doing 20 stadiums in japan
at 3.32 he said that mike knew he had to do it
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4 gods sake MJ did rehearsals... but Valentino didnt need to rehearse!!! I dunno what his role was going to be but makes no sense to me...
yeap nothing makes sense, we just dont have the missing pieces - we cant ask the players the questions
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http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuse ... =531309809 (http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=146133006&blogId=531309809)
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Award for "King of Pop -The show" Where was Earnest Valentino?
I would like to inform everyone and anyone who may or may not have watched the award show by Radio Regenbogen about my reasons for absence as follows.
I was personally supposed to receive this award for all the hard work i did for The King of Pop the Show-tour between October and December 2009 (from Mannheim to Geneva, Paris, Moscow to St. Petersburg etc.), which was a great success. But please let me first give you the full picture of why i even participated in this tour.
After Michael`s passing i decided not to continue performing anymore, as God took our Michael away from us, and since he was my friend and mentor his unfortunate death turned my life upside down. And then i just went into this free fall of not caring anymore nor wanting to live for that matter.
Anyway, after i returned from Los Angeles, and after seeing Michael 5 days before his death, i received a call from one of the producers of this "King of Pop - The Show" , and he literally begged me to come on board and be a part of this tour. They were desperate because they had "fired" their previous impersonator and told me they already had shows booked, and basically needed me to save them from being sued. I persistently declined, but the producers of this show kept calling me every day several times to try and change my mind.
I was in this conflict, for i did not want to perform anymore, but if i would have said "no" then i felt it would have disappointed Michael by not taken the opportunity to use this platform to spread his message. But on the other hand i would be working with people who did not care about Michael and are only in it for the money. Now how i know this, well i found out after i finally signed a contract with them, through Michael`s estate, that The king of Pop The Show was being sued for using this name without permission. Obviously the producers conveniently "forgot" to tell me that. And parallel to this information i was told by the same people from Michael`s estate, that four days after Michael`s unfortunate death the producers of that show went and tried to purchase the copywriting for the name KING OF POP - THE SHOW. But they put the show on the road prior to permission and therefore were sued. Maybe you can imagine how angry and disappointed i was, for this was a clear indication they did not care about Michael, and were insensitive, disrespectful and most of all they were only in it for the money (as i said before).
Now one would ask: Then why did you still work with them? Well, as i previously explained i felt i had to do this for Michael, and i knew in my heart that Michael, and THE POWERS AT BE would take care of them accordingly, for that`s the rule of life.
But i must say , about this award given, it really hurt me deeply to see someone else take credit for a show i worked so hard for, and this replacement never participated in any of those shows of "The King of Pop". And the only reason why i was not there was because we did not come to an agreement about what songs should be performed on this event! So they chose another Michael impersonator to receive this award, and have a stranger take credit for all the dedicated work i did in those shows last year.
This is the truth, and i felt compelled to inform all those who are concerned.
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http://michaeljackson.brighterplanet.or ... ed-version (http://michaeljackson.brighterplanet.org/king-of-pop/earnest-valentino-as-the-king-of-pop-extended-version)
1.Comment by justines70 — August 30, 2009 @ 2:12 am
Ernest is even the …
Ernest is even the same height as Michael, talks like him and everything. Looking forward to seeing more from him. He was at the BET awards sitting behind Joe jackson just after Michael died.
who was that - i thought it must have been mikes younger relative?
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what's this
http://celebrity.premiere.com/movie-Wac ... ut%20Jacko (http://celebrity.premiere.com/movie-Wacko%20About%20Jacko)
Wacko About Jacko (2005)
Overview
Cast
News
Snapshot
Director
Lucy Leveugle
Pics and Gossip on Wacko About Jacko
Wacko About Jacko Hair, Fashion, and Style
Overview
Casts
Earnest Valentino as Himself
Ray Oliver as Himself
Leigh Oliver as Himself
Danny Oliver as Himself
------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0441553/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0441553/)
Plot:A documentary on the nature of fandom, which follows four Michael Jackson fans, and shows their commitment (or obsession), and the lengths they will go to to be close to their idol
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Funny how I point out the absence of the rider, which means there was no contract at all, yet no one pays attention to it.
If you have trouble believing me, I invite you to call any agency or concert promoter to verify my statement.
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is ernest really giving up his domain name is for sale
earnestvalentino.com
[youtube:3a1ct5k9]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLMlw4A0F7Y[/youtube:3a1ct5k9]
in 1998 winning an award
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5y_p0V5 ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5y_p0V5zT4&feature=related)
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Funny how I point out the absence of the rider, which means there was no contract at all, yet no one pays attention to it.
If you have trouble believing me, I invite you to call any agency or concert promoter to verify my statement.
I agree with you. I've seen a lot of concert contracts online and they have ALWAYS had riders.
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ernest as a child fan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnXT4OFu ... re=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnXT4OFul9A&feature=related)
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i have never seen a music contract apart from the jackson 5 contract at 02 exhibition - but did not anything in particular
so i cant comment
pp are saying it was ernest at the awards show
http://michaeljacksonnotdead.wordpress. ... et-awards/ (http://michaeljacksonnotdead.wordpress.com/2009/07/20/michael-jackson-look-alike-spotted-at-bet-awards/)
Michael Jackson Look Alike Spotted at BET Awards
July 20, 2009 in Michael Jackson Death is a Hoax - Fake Death - Still Alive | Tags: Fake Micheal Jackson Death, Hoax death, Michae, Michael Jackson Disguised, Michael Jackson Double, michael jackson hoax death, Michael Jackson Impersonator, Michael Jackson in Disguise
13 Votes
Now we all know that Joe Jackson made absurd remarks at the BET Awards, such as advertising Ranch Records – his new project. Remember that these awards took place days after the so called death of Michael Jackson, and Joe Jackson really seemed unmoved. It has been reported that 30 minutes prior to launch of the ceremonies, Joe Jackson arrived without tickets and threw everyone into a frenzy as seating had to be adjusted.
Thats the backdrop of what happened, but in the picture below, something caught my eye.
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Sorry the arabian nights, but please make up your mind. Is this "the concerts were to happen" thread or "The Earnest Valentino" thread..?
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i have never seen a music contract apart from the jackson 5 contract at 02 exhibition - but did not anything in particular
so i cant comment
Here you go, you can find boatloads of concert riders here: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/index.html (http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/index.html)
The contract rider includes specifications on stage design, sound systems, lighting rigs, as well as an artist's wish list--from transportation and billing to dressing room accommodations and meals. In some cases, a promoter will refuse a demand (crossing out the request on the document), though stars usually get what they want, whether it's clean boxer shorts (Jane's Addiction), prune juice (Kansas), or an arrangement of tulips, roses, gardenias, and lilies (Janet Jackson).
Glad you mentioned this Mo, I have never even thought of it! :shock:
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Glad you mentioned this Mo, I have never even thought of it! :shock:
I have posted this information at least 10 times as from August last year. I'm glad at least someone picked up on it...
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the whole premise of the thread was the vid from ernest - thus it lead me to believe that the concerts were to proceed, i thought mike wanted to bail
i have thought that the hoax in my opinion was contractual - he did not want to do it
so when i heard ernest my view did change
but the more you dig and the more you listen to pp i feel i am right back where i started
even if mike employed ernest to be his understudy that would not prevent him bailing
sorry about the ernest postings - i was just trying to find out more about him - sometimes when you dig you find other things that someone maybe be able to run with, if may be the thing i overlook that maybe important
but on the contractual point can you post what the usual rider would look like - so we can have a look? thanks
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please link to contract
I uploaded it to our server, that was easier than digging through the Radar Online website.
http://www.michaeljacksonhoaxforum.com/AEG_contract.pdf (http://www.michaeljacksonhoaxforum.com/AEG_contract.pdf)
the document looks a bit strange in format - it looks like a letter
is this the final version and not a heads of agreement - on certain issues
the documents that i am associated with at times have heads of agreements then the detail and recitals are added later, but the types of documents are different i appreciate that.
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Glad you mentioned this Mo, I have never even thought of it! :shock:
I have posted this information at least 10 times as from August last year. I'm glad at least someone picked up on it...
Ooops, my bad! I'm kinda dumb sometimes.
I always enjoyed reading the riders. Some of those people request the strangest things.
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well about the issue about Earnst and/or Navi being in the TII shows. most and if not all of the concerts ive been to either have a warm up act, or an act to go on during the concert interval. maybe mike wanted them to perform during the interval of the show. and with the massive set list that mike was due to perform, he would have definatley arranged for an interval in the show so that he could rest. so the impersonators could have been used to preform during the break... or breaks.
but that earnst guy is a scary look-alike, from a distance i really couldnt tell tbh, but hes definatley good !
as for the contract stuff im reading it as we speak so ill comment on that when im done :)
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i think that navi was asked to finish up the TII footage post death - not during the rehearsals - or when mike was alive (?)
ernest was asked by mike days before he died to join the tour, so difference there.
yes mike enjoyed watching impersonators - but to put them out obviously - i mean there was to be a magic act and film footage - i had heard that mike was only to be on the stage for a few minutes - wasnt that KO saying that and KO also said that there would be loads of impersonators during the concerts if mike got tired
i think i read that on another hoax site - the stuff of rumours
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or is it possible that mike was going to do a number with the impersonators on stage with him ???
maybe like an army of michaels :lol:
because i think i remember zaldi saying that they had to make copies of the outfits that he was designing...
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i think that navi was asked to finish up the TII footage post death - not during the rehearsals - or when mike was alive (?)
ernest was asked by mike days before he died to join the tour, so difference there.
yes mike enjoyed watching impersonators - but to put them out obviously - i mean there was to be a magic act and film footage - i had heard that mike was only to be on the stage for a few minutes - wasnt that KO saying that and KO also said that there would be loads of impersonators during the concerts if mike got tired
i think i read that on another hoax site - the stuff of rumours
It was not KO that said he was only contracted for 13 minutes per performance date, it was IAN HALPERIN.
We all know what an assclown he is.
Just sayin'..
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http://charlesthomsonjournalist.blogspo ... edits.html (http://charlesthomsonjournalist.blogspot.com/2009/08/leaked-o2-contract-further-discredits.html)
Saturday, 29 August 2009
Leaked O2 contract further discredits Halperin book
Michael Jackson's leaked AEG contract (download here) serves as another nail in the coffin of Ian Halperin's credibility.
As I reported over a month ago, Ian Halperin has released a string of fictional stories about Michael Jackson since late 2008 in an attempt to promote his book 'Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson'.
Halperin's stories have included allegations that the star was dying from a genetic lung disease, that he was so broke he had to perform on the yacht of a Russian billionaire and that the star was only scheduled to perform for 13 minutes per show during his residency at London's O2 arena.
As yet, there is no indication that Jackson's autopsy found any evidence of terminal or life threatening lung disease. The story about Jackson performing on the billionaire's yacht was denied by those involved. Now Jackson's leaked contract with AEG will put paid to Halperin's claims that Jackson was to perform for only 13 minutes per night in London.
The contract states that Jackson was to deliver a 'first class performance' of 'no less than 80 minutes at each show'.
Oops.
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by awesome1 » Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:39 pm
"with the massive set list that mike was due to perform, he would have definatley arranged for an interval in the show so that he could rest. so the impersonators could have been used to preform during the break... or breaks... "
yes he would definitely need long set breaks throughout the show
and I wasn't thinking naughty... oh dang I just did :lol: :lol: 8-)
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what was the length of each show to be?
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what was the length of each show to be?
well from the contract the show could be anything from 80mins to 3 and a half hours.....
and from the list of songs.... there was 23 i think.
in TII we had 16 recorded rehersals and that was ecxluding the other bits and pieces id say approx 1hr 20-30 mins, and there were unfinished rehersals in the TII movie, so lets say that they were all finished and that might bump things up to just under 2 hours, including some things he might say and all that :lol:
so with all my guessing.... :lol:
id say that each show may be either just under 3 or maybe even slightly over 3 hours
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the only explanation now - i feel is that mike is dead
okay calm down. you're going to lose faith after some impersonator says he was asked to be on the TII shows? come on now. take another look at the questions list. there's 7 pages of unanswered questions where NOTHING adds up. people can post all the interviews with all the impersonators they want, it doesn't answer those questions. and those questions should be fairly easy to answer if michael were dead. i think the title of this topic is a little harsh.
p.s. how do we even know this guy is credible?
thanks for your post - what should i change it to - i do not know i have made a few attempts as my views have changed?
but the thing is this is the first time someone has said that they were recruited for the concerts and just before the concerts - and not doing the rehearsals - this is a visible double talking
navi was asked to be in the TII movie - to tidy it up - not the rehearsals and not the concerts.
to me this is proof that mike wanted and was going to do the concerts but needed an understudy just in case
he was not able to fulfil that, he envisaged himself doing the concerts - so no hoax
I agree that he did plan to do the concerts & I've always held that belief, however I've also always believed that Mike was made aware that his life was in danger & possibly the fans as well & that is why he disappeared.
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i think that navi was asked to finish up the TII footage post death - not during the rehearsals - or when mike was alive (?)
ernest was asked by mike days before he died to join the tour, so difference there.
yes mike enjoyed watching impersonators - but to put them out obviously - i mean there was to be a magic act and film footage - i had heard that mike was only to be on the stage for a few minutes - wasnt that KO saying that and KO also said that there would be loads of impersonators during the concerts if mike got tired
i think i read that on another hoax site - the stuff of rumours
It was not KO that said he was only contracted for 13 minutes per performance date, it was IAN HALPERIN.
We all know what an assclown he is.
thanks for that correctins - chinese whispers [no racial slur intended at all]
Just sayin'..
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Well i dont know what to think of the video. Can you believe this guy? Or is he making stuff up. I dont know. Personally i just dont buy it. But that is only me!
As for the contract it looks legit. Why are Michael's signatures so different though? He signed it twice.
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I can't possibly believe Michael would ever hire an impersonator for his tours. Michael's not stupid. He knows his fans can tell him apart from all those clowns. To me, none of those guys look like Michael, and I can't understand how people can say they do.
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I can't possibly believe Michael would ever hire an impersonator for his tours. Michael's not stupid. He knows his fans can tell him apart from all those clowns. To me, none of those guys look like Michael, and I can't understand how people can say they do.
Iam in total agreement with you. I however am on the there is NO DOUBLES bandwagon. But i know iam one of the very few
JMO!!!!!!
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I can't possibly believe Michael would ever hire an impersonator for his tours. Michael's not stupid. He knows his fans can tell him apart from all those clowns. To me, none of those guys look like Michael, and I can't understand how people can say they do.
Iam in total agreement with you. I however am on the there is NO DOUBLES bandwagon. But i know iam one of the very few
JMO!!!!!!
I'm with you. You are not alone ;D
I did think there were doubles (in TII/press conference) until I got the DVD.
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so why would this guy lie and in a vid re: previous rehearsals there was a standin on stage - a american guy singing and it was filmed
it does not have to be a rip off to the fans
[youtube:mv6kc4oa]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaGcKzvetmQ&feature=player_embedded[/youtube:mv6kc4oa]
larry found this vid - but watch it
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to the first paragraph: i think that's the point. this whole thing was a set up from the get-go. let's be real. michael had 50 shows to do. he wanted to create it as his "comeback tour"- his FINAL shows in london. this would mean that these shows would have to blow people away. so, let's say starting in march, michael had less than half a year to plan, create everything, rehearse, ship all the stuff across the US and ocean, set up the staging and practice before the shows there and establish himself and his family before actually starting the tour. now...we all know of michael's genius and greatness, but 5 months to do all of this? highly, highly unlikely. and may i remind you that production wasn't even complete 2 weeks before the first date of the show. does that sound like a tour that is ready to proceed? or more bluntly, a tour at all?
I agree on the above. I'd like to add the following - how do we know for sure all 50 shows went on sale? Various articles on the internet state 750.000 tickets were sold. Since June 25th we have seen many many fans on the boards, yet very few mention they indeed indeed purchased tickets for the This Is It gigs. I can't help but think that only the tickets for the 10 originally planned gigs went on sale...
Besides that, the ones that COULD show their tickets, all had just a few dates, 5 max that I have seen. I saw the same date over and over again. Would make sense if you know you are going to hoax your death, only selling tickets for 10 gigs would be better than 50 gigs. Damage control IMO.
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interesting point about the contract
to me it looks like a letter, and it does not refer to the 50 shows so where is the revised contract
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I can't possibly believe Michael would ever hire an impersonator for his tours. Michael's not stupid. He knows his fans can tell him apart from all those clowns. To me, none of those guys look like Michael, and I can't understand how people can say they do.
Iam in total agreement with you. I however am on the there is NO DOUBLES bandwagon. But i know iam one of the very few
JMO!!!!!!
I'm with you. You are not alone ;D
I did think there were doubles (in TII/press conference) until I got the DVD.
Thanks! I appreciate that
Happy Easter!!!
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Thanks for bringing up the ticket sales. That mystery has been stuck inside my sub-conscious for some time. There are tons of fans on various forums. However few have said that they or someone that they know had purchased tickets. Who actually bought the tickets for the shows whether it was 10 or 50 shows? I have also wondered why London? Why not 50 shows spread out across Europe?
to the first paragraph: i think that's the point. this whole thing was a set up from the get-go. let's be real. michael had 50 shows to do. he wanted to create it as his "comeback tour"- his FINAL shows in london. this would mean that these shows would have to blow people away. so, let's say starting in march, michael had less than half a year to plan, create everything, rehearse, ship all the stuff across the US and ocean, set up the staging and practice before the shows there and establish himself and his family before actually starting the tour. now...we all know of michael's genius and greatness, but 5 months to do all of this? highly, highly unlikely. and may i remind you that production wasn't even complete 2 weeks before the first date of the show. does that sound like a tour that is ready to proceed? or more bluntly, a tour at all?
I agree on the above. I'd like to add the following - how do we know for sure all 50 shows went on sale? Various articles on the internet state 750.000 tickets were sold. Since June 25th we have seen many many fans on the boards, yet very few mention they indeed indeed purchased tickets for the This Is It gigs. I can't help but think that only the tickets for the 10 originally planned gigs went on sale...
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I can't possibly believe Michael would ever hire an impersonator for his tours. Michael's not stupid. He knows his fans can tell him apart from all those clowns. To me, none of those guys look like Michael, and I can't understand how people can say they do.
Same here, IMO that Valentino guy doesn't look like Michael. If he went on stage, I'm sure that the fans saw the difference.
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I can't possibly believe Michael would ever hire an impersonator for his tours. Michael's not stupid. He knows his fans can tell him apart from all those clowns. To me, none of those guys look like Michael, and I can't understand how people can say they do.
Same here, IMO that Valentino guy doesn't look like Michael. If he went on stage, I'm sure that the fans saw the difference.
yeah he does not look like him but he moves like him, there may have been away of inserting him to give mike breathing time, i dont know, but one thing for sure is the ernest said that he was to do the tour - why would he lie? he was not in the rehearsals so mike had something in mind - maybe the lightman
then he would dance off, ernest could dance like mike at a drop of a hat - note how at short notice he did the King of Pop tour - it was a big seater event.
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http://newsflavor.com/entertainment/is- ... ally-dead/ (http://newsflavor.com/entertainment/is-michael-jackson-really-dead/)
Is Michael Jackson Really Dead?
Published by s hayes on June 26, 2009 in Entertainment
Tags: celebrity, conspiracy, dance, death, michael jackson, music
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Recent appearances of Michael Jackson have prompted rumours by many fans that Michael Jackson has employed a “look-alike” body double to carry the burden of the up-coming world tour.
The shock news that pop legend Michael Jackson has suffered a fatal cardiac arrest at the age of 50 has sent his fans reeling. The big question is, was it really Michael Jackson who died?
Many who watched the press announcement for the up-coming world tour were convinced that it was not the real Jacko…….but a body double that faced the eager press.
Many devoted fans watching world tour announcement and other recent appearances commented that his hands, face, stature and general demeanour and mannerisms were unfamiliar (beyond any consequences of physical surgery), leading to rumours of a body double.
For a 50 year old man who has been rumoured to have suffered from Skin Cancer, Skin Disease, a debilitating Spider Bite, requirement for a lung transplant, addiction to Vicodin, nervous exhaustion, cosmetic surgery complications, to name a few, the prospect of a strenuous world tour would be a virtual impossibility.
Music journalists reported on sky news on the night of the announcement of his death that Michael Jackson was only contracted to perform for a few minutes on stage for each of the tour dates, suggesting that a well trained “look-alike” may stand in, secretly, for the bulk of the performances.
If there are one /numerous Michael Jackson “stand-ins”, are we really sure that the real Michael Jackson has died?…Only his very close friends / family would be able to answer this and if Michael Jackson were alive but wanted to escape the relentless press / legal harassment, it would be an ideal way to “retire” with the support of those close and trusted to him…..(who could blame him!) we may never know!
He will be sadly missed for his undeniable, unique, absolute shining talent which has entertained and will continue to entertain many generations of music and dance lovers.
Here’s wishing that he has now found peace.
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You are right, Mo. No raider, no valid contract - at all, definitely.
And MJ is well known for using doubles a lot, not only as decoys, but also as doppelgangers during concerts / shows.
What`s up with this nnow? Damage control for minimized own erformance ... why not?
I can`t see any problem here ...
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just thinking looking at the man in the mirrow vid, and was thinking about the beatles tracks - he never let sentimentality, or friendship come in the way of a sound business deal
he fired or had pp fired from his employment
look at his personal staff (Kai, Grace etc) and the neverland staff, KF, and his business associates over the years
look at the way he dealt with personal matters also - very proactive - problem solver.
look how he announced his departure from his brothers on tour, when he failed to renew his management with his father
when he did not want to do a contractual agreement - his lawyers would find an loop hole and defend him.
look at the way he dealt with his doctors there was a gap in treatment with arnie around 2005, then he is back on board.
countless pp have said that mike would cut pp off, he would change his number and that would be it.
so he was ruthless or relentless
this works well with the hoax or does it?
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16.9 counterpart/Fax Signatures. This Agreement may be executed in ahy number of Counterparts each of which Shall be deemed an originaI, and facsimile copies or photocopies of signatures shall be as valid as originals (pg 13.)
is this how its done? isn't the original signature suppose to be on every copy that is a valid original.. othervise its a copy not an original. And the signature can just be put on the paper"photoshoped" and then faxed... and there is an original....!!!
I dont think MJ signed those papers... someone else did...
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Well... whatever Mike wanted him there for... I dont think it was to act as an understudy. You can still tell that its not Michael.
Got to remember the people at the front of the concerts would have recognised him... theres no way he could have fooled them.
His moves arent as strong and powerful as Michaels.
:?
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i think that ernest is a pretty good dancer and impersonator of mike, he could have been part of the tricks and illusions
but the show was no way ready for July start date, the props werent in full operation - esp lightman, and i think that it could well have been put back even further to august or september because of the tech problems then shipping or cargo plane.
what mike was preparing was not like - stand up infront of a mic - concerts but more of any experience a show, a lot of magic, cinema effects, props and that would i think include standins.
i think if you view it like that - you feel differently about the shows
i initially felt that he would be short changing pp, i dont feel like that now. i feel it was going to be an experience.
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the arabian nights » Tue Apr 13, 2010 9:03 am
"...look how he announced his departure from his brothers on tour, when he failed to renew his management with his father..."
OMG i was watching some jacksons concert footage and i was so not expecting that announcement!! (their concerts seem like so one of a kind cause they just give and electric performance but oops back to the subject :lol: ) i was feeling like oh no!! michael left the jacksons!! (this was a few months ago lol)
now i'm waiting to see if heal return to the jacksons :)
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http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_b ... ckson.html (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/05/deep-pockets-behind-michael-jackson.html)
Pop & Hiss
The L.A. Times music blog
« Previous Post | Pop & Hiss Home | Next Post »
Deep pockets behind Michael Jackson
May 30, 2009 | 9:56 am
This is a longer version of a story that will appear in The Times' Sunday (May 31) edition.
Others have tried to revive the onetime pop star's performing career. Tom Barrack is convinced he's the 'caretaker' to do it.
Tom Barrack, a Westside financier who made billions buying and selling distressed properties, flew to Las Vegas in March 2008 to check out a troubled asset. But his target was not a struggling hotel chair or failed bank.
It was Michael Jackson. The world's bestselling male pop artist was hunkered down with his three children in a dumpy housing compound in an older section of town. At 49, he was awash in nearly $400 million of debt and so frail that he greeted visitors in a wheelchair. The rich international friends who offered Jackson refuge after his 2005 acquittal on molestation charges had fallen away. His Santa Barbara ranch, Neverland, was about to be sold at public auction.
In Jackson, Barrack saw the sort of undervalued asset his private equity firm, Colony Capital, had succeeded with in the past. He wrote a check to save the ranch and placed a call to a friend, the conservative business magnate Philip Anschutz, whose holdings include the concert production firm AEG Live.
Fifteen months later, Jackson is living in a Bel-Air mansion and rehearsing for a series of 50 sold-out shows in London's O2 Arena. The intervention of two billionaires with more experience in the board room than the recording studio seems on course to accomplish what a parade of others over the last dozen years could not: getting Jackson back on stage.
His backers envision the shows at AEG's O2 as an audition for a career rebirth that could ultimately encompass a three-year world tour, a new album, movies, a Graceland-like museum, musical revues in Las Vegas and Macau, and even a "Thriller" casino. Such a rebound could wipe out Jackson's massive debt.
"You are talking about a guy who could make $500 million a year if he puts his mind to it," Barrack said recently. "There are very few individual artists who are multibillion-dollar businesses. And he is one."
Others have tried to resurrect Jackson's career, but previous attempts have failed, associates say, because of managerial chaos, backbiting within his inner circle and the singer's legendary flakiness.
Even as Jackson's deep-pocketed benefactors assemble an all-star team -- "High School Musical's" Kenny Ortega is directing the London concerts -- there are hints of discord. Last week, two different men identified themselves as the singer's manager and a month before, a respected accountant who had been handling Jackson's books was abruptly fired in a phone call from an assistant.
But his backers downplay the problems. "He is very focused. He is not going to let anybody down. Not himself. Not his fans. Not his family," said Frank DiLeo, his current manager and a friend of three decades.
Jackson needs a comeback to reverse the damage done by years of excessive spending and little work. He has not toured since 1997 or released a new album since 2001, but has continued to live like a megastar.
THE MICHAEL JACKSON 'PARADOX'
To finance his opulent lifestyle, he borrowed heavily against his three main assets -- his ranch, his music catalog and a second catalog that includes the music of the Beatles that he co-owns with Sony Corp. By the time of his 2005 criminal trial, he was nearly $300 million in debt and, according to testimony, spending $30 million more annually than he was taking in.
Compounding his money difficulties are a revolving door of litigious advisors and hangers on. Jackson has run through 11 managers since 1990, according to DiLeo.
At least 19 people -- financial advisors, managers, lawyers, a pornography producer and even a Bahraini sheik -- have taken Jackson to court for allegedly failing to pay bills or backing out of deals. He settled many of the suits. Currently, he is facing civil claims by a former publicist, a concert promoter and the writer-director of his "Thriller" video, John Landis.
John Branca, an entertainment lawyer who represented Jackson for more than 20 years, blamed the singer's financial straits partly on his past habit of surrounding himself with "yes men." Branca advised Jackson to buy half of the Beatles catalog in 1985 for $47.5 million. The catalog is now estimated to be worth billions and the purchase is considered his smartest business decision.
"The paradox is that Michael is one of the brightest and most talented people I've ever known. At the same time, he has made some of the worst choices in advisors in the history of music," said Branca, who represents Santana, Nickelback and Aerosmith, among others. He said he finally split with the singer because Jackson invited into his inner circle "people who really didn't have his best interests at heart."
The singer's financial predicament reached a crisis point in March 2008 when he defaulted on a $24.5-million loan and Neverland went into foreclosure. Jackson's brother Jermaine enlisted the help of Dr. Tohme Tohme, an orthopedic surgeon-turned-businessman who had previously worked with Colony Capital.
Tohme reached out to Barrack, who said he was initially reluctant to get involved because Jackson had already sought advice from fellow billionaire Ron Burkle, an old friend.
"I said, 'My God, if Ron can't figure it out, I can't figure it out,' " Barrack said.
But he was drawn to the deal. He owns a ranch five miles from Neverland, and his sons were among local children Jackson invited over for field days at the ranch. The financier retains close ties to the developer who built Neverland and is friendly with Wesley Edens, the chairman of the property's debt-holder, Fortress Investment Group.
With the auction of Jackson's home and possessions just days away, Barrack made the singer a proposition.
"I sat down with him and said, 'Look . . . we can buy the note and restructure your financial empire,' " Barrack said. But, he told him, "what you need is a new caretaker. A new podium. A new engine."
Tohme, who acted as Jackson's manager until recently, recalled the urgency of the situation. "If he didn't move fast, he would have lost the ranch," Tohme said. "That would have been humiliating for Michael."
Jackson and Barrack reached an agreement within seven days. Colony paid $22.5 million and Neverland averted foreclosure.
FROM NEVERLAND TO LONDON
Jackson has not spoken publicly since a March news conference and his representatives declined to make him available for an interview.
Barrack said his position outside the music industry seemed to endear him to Jackson. "He looks at me like 'the suit.' I have credibility because I don't live in that world. I'm not interested in hanging around him. I'm not interested in girls. I'm not interested in boys. I'm not interested in drugs," Barrack said.
After buying Neverland, Barrack called his friend Anschutz. Barrack said the prospect of helping Jackson, given his recent criminal case, gave Anschutz, a devout Christian, pause. (Anschutz declined to be interviewed.)
Barrack had spent significant time with Jackson and praised him as "a genius" and devoted father. Ultimately, Anschutz agreed to put Jackson in touch with Randy Phillips, the CEO of his concert subsidiary.
As the head of AEG Live, Phillips oversees a division that grossed more than $1 billion last year and has negotiated such lucrative bookings as Celine Dion's four-year, $400-million run in Las Vegas and Prince's 21 sold-out dates at the O2 Arena in 2007.
Phillips had his eye on Jackson for some time. In 2007, Phillips approached the singer with a deal for a comeback, but Jackson, who was working with different advisors, turned him down. "He wasn't ready," Phillips recalled.
This time, however, Jackson was receptive. He needed the money, and he has a second, more personal reason: His children -- sons Prince Michael, 7, and Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., 12, and daughter Paris Michael Katherine, 11 -- have never seen him perform live.
"They are old enough to appreciate and understand what I do and I am still young enough to do it," Phillips quoted Jackson as saying.
Jackson stands to earn $50 million for the O2 shows, "This Is It" -- $1 million per performance not including revenue from merchandise sales and broadcast rights. Jackson is considering options including pay-per-view and a feature film. But the real money would kick in after his final curtain call in London.
A PROPOSED TOUR
AEG has proposed a three-year tour starting in Europe, then traveling to Asia and finally returning to the United States. Although Jackson has only committed to the O2 engagement thus far, Phillips estimates ticket sales for the global concerts would exceed $450 million.
"One would hope he would end up netting around 50% of that," Phillips said.
Barrack, the man who set Jackson's comeback in motion, has seen his net worth drop with the financial crisis of the last year. Forbes estimated his wealth at $2.3 billion around the time he met Jackson, but he is now merely a multimillionaire. He said that the economic downturn makes Jackson even more attractive as an investment because his value has been overlooked: In times like this, he said, "finding little pieces of information that others don't have" is more important than ever.
His company isn't exposed to any risk by working with Jackson. All the money Colony has put up is backed by the value of Neverland and related assets, he said. If Jackson regains firm financial footing, Barrack's company could be a partner in future deals. "When he looks back and says, 'Who took the risk? Who was there?' I mean, he gets it. So that's my hope," Barrack said.
It all depends on what happens July 13 when the lights go down in the O2 Arena. Doubts about Jackson's reliability are widespread because of his long concert hiatus. Those concerns were heightened earlier this month when the show's opening night was pushed back five days. Phillips and Ortega, the director, blamed production problems and said Jackson was ready to perform.
Fans demonstrated their faith in Jackson months ago when they snapped up 750,000 tickets for shows through March 2010 in less than four hours. "We could have done 200 shows if he were willing to live in London for two years," Phillips said.
Amid the high stakes, Phillips has taken a hands-on approach more reminiscent of his early days as a talent manager for acts including Guns N' Roses and Lionel Richie than as the company's chief executive.
A REPUTATION, A DO-OR-DIE MOMENT
In addition to the more than $20 million AEG is paying to produce the shows, the company is putting its reputation on the line for a performer with a track record of missed performances and canceled dates. In a video news conference earlier this month, Phillips acknowledged that the company has only been able to insure 23 of the 50 "This Is It" performances."In this business, if you don't take risks, you don't achieve greatness," Phillips said.
Phillips said he speaks with Jackson regularly and has closely monitored rehearsals in a Burbank soundstage. In response to questions about his physical condition, especially in light of his previous addiction to prescription painkillers, Phillips said that Jackson passed a rigorous medical examination. Associates also say he adheres to a strict vegetarian diet and works out with a personal trainer.
But the problems that have bedeviled Jackson in the past -- infighting, disorganization and questionable advisors -- persist.
In an interview last week, Tohme identified himself as the singer's "manager, spokesman, everything" and spoke about the benefits of dealing with business titans Barrack and Anschutz rather than their "sleazy" predecessors. "Michael Jackson is an institution. He needs to be run like an institution," Tohme said.
The next day, however, longtime Jackson associate DiLeo claimed he was Jackson's manager and said Tohme had been fired a month and a half earlier. Tohme denied being fired but declined further comment.
In April, Jackson fired the accounting firm, Cannon & Co., that had worked for him for a year, according to an accountant who worked on his finances. Jeff Cannon of Cannon & Co. said he received a phone call from an assistant of Jackson who said the singer no longer required his services.
Then there is Arfaq Hussain. A British man who met Jackson in the late 1990s, Hussain designed clothing for the performer -- including an air-conditioned jacket, a pair of self-adjusting, rhodium-plated shoes and the "Crystal Miracle," a jacket covered with 275,000 rock crystals -- and tried to launch a business selling $75,000 bottles of perfume by trading on Jackson's name.
In 2002, Hussain was jailed for four months in Britain for charges related to business fraud. Hussain and Jackson recently became reacquainted and the singer hired him as an assistant, DiLeo said.
The woman who was Jackson's public face during his criminal trial, former manager and spokeswoman Raymone Bain, is pressing a federal breach of contract suit against the singer. Bain claims that Jackson cheated her out of her 10% cut of several business deals, including the AEG concerts. Bain is to ask a judge in Washington, D.C., next month to seize the portion she alleges is hers, citing Jackson's history of evading creditors.
In his corner office high above Century City, Barrack is sanguine about reports of disharmony.
"You have the same thousand parasites that start to float back in and take advantage of the situation and that has happened a little at the edges," he said. But, he added, he had confidence in AEG's ability to keep Jackson focused.
The concerts, Phillips acknowledged, are a do-or-die moment for Jackson.
"If it doesn't happen, it would be a major problem for him career-wise in a way that it hasn't been in the past," he said.
--Chris Lee and Harriet Ryan
Related: Michael Jackson delays the start of his London comeback residency
Related: Michael Jackson rehearses near Burbank airport
COMEBACK: Michael Jackson’s backers hope his 50 sold-out London concerts will lead to a world tour, an album, movies, a Graceland-like museum and even a casino. Credit: Associated Press
NEVERLAND: Michael Jackson’s Santa Ynez Valley ranch was just days away from being sold at auction last year until it was rescued by Tom Barrack’s private equity firm. Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times
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remember frank saying on vid that mike knew he had to do 20 shows in japan (i think) and also that he had talked to mj after his death?
it was never just the 50 shows it was a massive tour
that contract has not been released?
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This guy meet mike 5 days before mike's death
the concerts were to happen - mike was recruiting Ernest to be in the CONCERT
he said "I was supposed to be on the This is it tour"
[youtube:3ccncjnm]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9rKgcDkc_k[/youtube:3ccncjnm]
interesting
but as what?? As a decoy, So Michael can go shopping or something?
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he could have been in lightman?
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AEG has proposed a three-year tour starting in Europe, then traveling to Asia and finally returning to the United States. Although Jackson has only committed to the O2 engagement thus far, Phillips estimates ticket sales for the global concerts would exceed $450 million.
just thinking if mike wanted out of the concerts - why did he not bail?
lets think, aeg downed money to mike but it was not a significant sum to him, and also they downed 30mil in production costs, so if he formally withdrew - no insurance ? but also he would be sued for the lost profits £450mill - this would have lead to bankruptcy unless his lawyers could find a loop hole?
he would have lost neverland - for all the problems there - it was his first home
he would have lost the music cat
loss of reputation - was he worried - maybe not so much - he could offered his fans something else.
they were not insured for the full 50 .... hmmm and they are now very silent on the numbers only referring to the 50, but that was clearly not the case...... the question is why back track now - randy phillips was disliked by mike - this seems like the reason... where is the contract for the 50 shows, and the world tour ... why has it been released the contract or a signed letter which i dont think is a contract - looks just like a letter of intention not a contract as such (i dont know about contract law is that obvious :lol: )
lets look at franks interview
[youtube:1el1hb06]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cNeJjA6LlM&feature=player_embedded[/youtube:1el1hb06]
remember it was post death this interview, and frank said that he spoke to mike the night before - the interviewer completely missed that, also he said that mike knew he had to do other venues so the world tour - he mentioned on memory japan (not rewatched sorry)
and that mike still wants to do the tours
this was all missed by the interviewer - so many missed opportunities
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but the money he would have made would not have wiped out his debt...
so why do the tour?
an cd would that have wiped it away?
maybe a package of things
but i think mikes idea of a thriller movie and a lego game (here i go again) would have done more to wipe the debt out - i am sure he would have got backers
he could also re -released another version even though the 25 ann had passed, i think the planet would have gone to it
so why agree to any tours .. the tours he hated....