Michael Jackson

[GrayMatterWife]

I think the same...however we all know that is he was a perp w/a major back story of abuse and exploitation w/in his own family...he was a freak of entertainment w/what appears to be (according to most sources) a very stunted emotional maturation...a man child if you will.
He was a musical genius.
His music could be the soundtrack to many of our lives....err um maybe a few of us; I was born in '70.

Oh, I know...I don't mean, of course, to diminish anyone's teen year memories. I have them, too (I have this incredibly clear memory of dancing to "Smooth Criminal" at homecoming). But--I know this sounds just terrible because he's passed--I had little sympathy for the reasons he was a child molester. At some point, you have to stop making excuses and start taking responsibility, even if life dealt you a crappy blow. He was a grown man who hurt children in some sicko desire to fulfill some need within himself. It's nice that he was a musical genius, but he was a musical genius molester. Every time I look at him, I just think: stay away from my kid. For me, what he did in his personal time completely killed any ability for me to enjoy his entertainment. I'm sorry he passed, I suppose, because that's the polite thing to say, but I am really glad he won't be hurting any more children. Only in Hollywood can people get away with sexually assaulting children because they have money and they characterize themselves as "Peter Pan."

[Chrisada]

But my question is, what kind of parent would put their child in a position to be around him? It's not like we was abducting children. These parents willingly let their children spend the night with a grown man known for molestation. Who lets their children have a sleep over with a man?? And who knows what he was doing to his own children.

[Bittersweet]

I feel sorry for his young kids who might have had a seriously messed up father, but had a father nonetheless. I’m curious to see who will get custody and am hoping it is someone who will allow them to have a normal life.

[Chrisada]

Supposedly he left custody to his mother. We'll see.

[HouseofWool]

I'm sad when anyone dies, but to me, the MJ I really enjoyed left the building around 1983. It's like he's already been dead for 20 years so I'm not really mourning anymore.

Ditto.

My first thought when I heard about it was to wonder if he was taking something. The second was to be relieved that he couldn't hurt anymore children.

I feel sorry for his young kids who might have had a seriously messed up father, but had a father nonetheless. I’m curious to see who will get custody and am hoping it is someone who will allow them to have a normal life.

ITA. The whole thing is so bizarre, I would hope their mother would get custody, not his.

I remember when my friend got the Thriller cassette tape (if that was the name of the album). Thought that was sooo cool.

[DCJenn]

Apparently she rescinded all rights to them so even if she did want them, she can't have them.

Jenn

Ohhhh...I think I remember that. Not something I can wrap my head around. So sad for those kids. Eccentric at best or criminal at worst, he was their parent.

[Chrisada]

How about his personal Dr. who administered his drugs is now missing and the police are looking for him.

[Momo]

Actually the a legal expert on the Today show, said because he is dead she can petition to get them. If he were alive: no. They also said that even if his will states anything other than what the courts deem to be in the best interst of the kids, it won't happen. There was some idiot from GB, that is apparently the Godfather of the children, that really had no clue about the kids. I bet he was just another "friend" that was around Michael when his kids were being born. I mean really you are the godparent to children of one of the most famous/infamous men on the planet and you don't really appear to no anything more than any one else on the street? So pathetic!

[MarissaNicole]

They don't even know who the mother is of the third child.... I am just waiting for hundreds of people to come out claiming to have some tie to the kids or claiming they want to raise them (in order to have control over MJ's money because whoever takes the kids will get the money to raise them).

[SuzySunshine]

Wasn't he like millions of dollars in debt recently, wasn't he going to sell Neverland, isn't that why he was doing these comeback concerts in London next month? What money does he have left?

I find it really sad that he's getting so much more coverage then Farrah - I get that hers was expected but we've heard nothing of him for how many years and now all of a sudden he's the hot topic? What happened to the wars, Iran protests, etc?

This is exactly why famous people should keep their private lives private and I wonder since FF did if that is why she's getting so little coverage.

[MarissaNicole]

I think the rights to all his songs will still be valuable...

and I have no idea the creditability of the article but: http://blogs.wsj.com/wealth/2009/06/...-estate-worth/

[MrsK]

Ok, I know that we are onto MJ bashing and speculation. But, I had to post this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfIE3Rz6IgE

THIS is Michael Jackson. I know, as Lily said it was a 20+ years ago. I'm going to date myself here because I know that many of you are too young to remember this. (Heck, DrK is only a couple years younger than I am and he doesn't remember this.) I remember seeing this on TV when it first aired. I was 9 years old. It was *amazing*. Just a guy, his mic, too short pants intended to show off his spangled socks, the fedora, one sparkly glove, and incredible dance moves. We'd never seen anything like this. Everyone went berzerk when they saw this. The kids were all talking about it at school the next day.

Then there was the Thriller video, when MTV was brand new and only the cool kids' parents subscribed to the channel. They used to show the video on the big screen at the roller rink. Everyone used to stop skating and assemble in the middle of the rink just to watch. We were transfixed. Middle school was all about Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Prince.

This is how I'll remember Michael Jackson. He did things that we'd never seen a human being do before. It was as if he was immortal. Which is why I'm shocked by his loss.

I remember (and this is *really* dating myself) my mom's reaction when John Lennon was murdered just a couple years before Michael Jackson did the moonwalk. He was a long haired weirdo accused of corrupting America's youth. She wasn't interested in his politics or Yoko Ono or the drug culture that he seemed to advocate. Mom had moved on from John Lennon but she remembered the good old days of Beatlemania and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand." She mourned as though she knew him.

The other night, my mom said it was the same reaction that her mom had when Al Jolson and Carole Lombard passed away. History hasn't been great to them either. Heck, it's not even PC to mention Al Jolson any more (although, some would argue that there would not have been a Michael Jackson without Jolson's introduction of Jazz and Blues to American culture or his advocacy on behalf of African American performers such as Cab Calloway). But those were grandma's generation's icons.

I find it really sad that he's getting so much more coverage then Farrah - I get that hers was expected but we've heard nothing of him for how many years and now all of a sudden he's the hot topic? What happened to the wars, Iran protests, etc?

This is exactly why famous people should keep their private lives private and I wonder since FF did if that is why she's getting so little coverage.

She didn't, actually. She was doing a reality show when she was diagnosed with cancer, and then did a documentary intended to follow her treatment. I agree though, that the MJ stuff is entirely overblown and she should have / would have gotten a lot more coverage if he hadn't died.

I was never a fan, although the Thriller video used so scare the hell out of me until I liked it enough to act it out w/a friend at my 5th grade dance. I saw him as talented (although not my musical cup of tea), and then I saw him as sad, and then just sick and attention-seeking. I'm completely annoyed with the amount of coverage being dedicated to his death -- I watched the Today Show for the better part of an hour before I saw anything -- ANYTHING -- other than MJ coverage.