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Michael Jackson was a one-man cottage industry for the legal profession. Two child-molestation investigations (no convictions), two divorces, myriad civil lawsuits over concerts, special performances and soured business deals, near-bankruptcy and the threatened foreclosure of his Neverland ranch kept teams of lawyers busy. Jackson’s legal stable included the elite of Los Angeles, California, litigators — Thomas Mesereau Jr., Mark Geragos and the late Johnnie L.
Michael Jackson’s sudden death has thrown the peculiar path of his later life back into the spotlight. He spent much of the past four years flitting from one part of the globe to another, failing to put down permanent roots.
The "King of Pop" had been topping music charts long before he ever pulled on that white-sequined glove, made the moonwalk a household move and sent screaming fans into a frenzy. But the spotlight that followed Michael Jackson, earned him headlines and made him a tabloid favorite as an adult, often had little to do with the artistry
For almost four months, fans of Michael Jackson were holding what were deemed by concert promoters AEG Live as the "Hottest Tickets on the Planet." Now some 750,000 fans have been left with passes that, while steeped in sentimentality, won’t entitle them to see the hyped spectacular that was promised to be Jackson’s farewell tour.
Right now we could all use a selective memory wipe — a magical eraser to remove all the misery Michael Jackson endured and caused.
Michael Jackson’s impact on pop culture is indelible. But perhaps his biggest legacy will be how he changed the music industry. “As a performer he changed history ..
Michael Jackson had a level of hero worship on a par with Elvis Presley or the Beatles but he was the first black star to inspire such a massive following around the world. Total worldwide sales of more than 350 million records over his 40-year career give just a hint of the adoration there was for the “King of Pop.” The fact that his death came on the eve of a comeback tour in London will leave his devotees feeling even more bereft
Following is a sampling of reactions from Michael Jackson’s friends and admirers to his death: Russell Simmons, pioneering hip-hop artist: “Michael Jackson was my generation’s most iconic cultural hero. Courageous, unique and incredibly talented. He’ll be missed greatly.” Lisa Marie Presley, musician and Jackson’s ex-wife: “I am completely shocked and saddened by Michael’s death.
Late Thursday afternoon, after nearly two hours of speculation, the Los Angeles coroner confirmed that Michael Jackson had died, apparently of cardiac arrest. Hundreds of fans gathered around UCLA Medical Center, where the 50-year-old “King of Pop” had been rushed reportedly after collapsing at home. Jackson’s sudden death raised immediate questions about the singer’s health history
The tragedy of Michael Jackson’s death at age 50, reportedly from cardiac arrest, pales in comparison to the tragedy of his life. To understand all that Jackson had and lost requires wiping away three decades of plastic surgeries that deformed him, erratic behavior that made his name synonymous with the warping powers of fame, and a 2005 trial for sexually abusing a child that, even though he was spared of any finding of wrongdoing, made him a pariah to all but the most brainwashed of fans. But if you can forgive or forget all that, underneath was one of the most talented entertainers of the 20th century