Michael Jackson suffers cardiac arrest. UPDATE: Jackson is dead. [Archive]

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Yog

Jun 25th, 2009, 04:15:49 PM

Update: LA Times says Michael Jackson has died.

Michael Jackson is dead [Updated]
2:06 PM | June 25, 2009

[Updated at 3:15 p.m.: Pop star Michael Jackson was pronounced dead by doctors this afternoon after arriving at a hospital in a deep coma, city and law enforcement sources told The Times.]

[Updated at 2:46 p.m.: Jackson is in a coma and his family is arriving at his bedside, a law enforcement source told The Times.

Jackson was rushed to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center this afternoon by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda said paramedics responded to a call at Jackson's home at 12:26 p.m. He was not breathing when they arrived. The paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and took him to the hospital, Ruda told The Times.

[Updated at 2:12 p.m.: Paramedics were called to a home in the 100 block of Carolwood Drive off Sunset Boulevard. Jackson had rented the Bel-Air home for $100,000 a month. It was described as a French chateau estate built in 2002 with seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, 12 fireplaces and a theater.

The home is about 2 1/2 miles, about a six-minute drive, from UCLA Medical Center. An earlier version of this post incorrectly described the time to travel between the home and hospital as two minutes.]

The news comes as Jackson, 50, was attempting a comeback after years of tabloid headlines, most notably his trial and acquittal on child molestation charges.

In May, The Times reported that Jackson had rented the Bel-Air residence and was rehearsing for a series of 50 sold-out shows in London's O2 Arena. Jackson had won the backing of two billionaires to get the so-called "King of Pop" 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.

—Andrew Blankstein and Phil Willon

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/pop-star-michael-jackson-was-rushed-to-a-hospital-this-afternoon-by-los-angeles-fire-department-paramedics--capt-steve-ruda.html

UPDATE 2: CNN confirms by LA coroner, Michael Jackson passed away.

Lilaena De'Ville

Jun 25th, 2009, 04:19:25 PM

I just heard this rumor on Facebook! :ohno

Bizarre. Farrah Fawcett died today (as well?).

edit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31552029/ Reportedly he is in a coma.

Emelie Shadowstar

Jun 25th, 2009, 04:22:42 PM

Just was confirmed by LA Times...

Man... this is going to get insane.

Sad day... :\

Yog

Jun 25th, 2009, 04:26:24 PM

CNN reports Michael Jackson is dead.

Edit: also, Harrison Ford is reported missing in boat accident:
http://harrison.ford.mediafetcher.com/news/top_stories/actor_st_tropez.php

Lilaena De'Ville

Jun 25th, 2009, 04:33:15 PM

What a bizarre day!

Its sad that MJ died. There's no denying the man had talent.

Yog

Jun 25th, 2009, 04:40:54 PM

CNN now says they have not confirmed this, they're just reporting that LA Times is reporting it. LA Times is a reputable source though.

Lilaena De'Ville

Jun 25th, 2009, 05:13:14 PM

:ohno Perhaps another Mark Twain moment then. Although the alternative is that he's in a coma, so far.

Yog

Jun 25th, 2009, 05:26:55 PM

CNN confirms by LA coroner that Michael Jackson is dead. RIP :(

One wonders if it was the stress of his upcoming comeback tour that got to him, or the money trouble, or the hundreds of other complexes, problems and illnesses he had, or the trials. A tragic and theatrical way of passing away.

Like him or hate him, he was a monumental piece of music history.

Jedi Master Carr

Jun 25th, 2009, 05:33:21 PM

very shocking and sad, he was a great artist even though his last ten years he has gotten very strange.

Darth Turbogeek

Jun 25th, 2009, 05:36:36 PM

very shocking and sad, he was a great artist even though his last ten years he has gotten very strange.

Only the LAST 10 years?????

Jedi Master Carr

Jun 25th, 2009, 05:49:11 PM

Darth Turbogeek

Jun 25th, 2009, 05:52:45 PM

Tear

Jun 25th, 2009, 06:01:09 PM

So far today I've heard:

Michael Jackson - Confirmed,
Farrah Fawcett - Confirmed,
Harrison Ford - Missing...
Jeff Goldblum - Rumored...

What a weird day..

Droo

Jun 25th, 2009, 06:10:02 PM

I had two childhood heroes: Superman and Michael Jackson. It's hard to fathom one of them is gone, impossible to accept, and I can say a piece of me has gone with him and I'm completely heart-broken.

Yog

Jun 25th, 2009, 06:14:49 PM

It is now reported, Jackson had problems with prescription medicines, whatever that means. I would not be surprised if it is related to that. Maybe an overdose situation or allergy.

Rutabaga

Jun 25th, 2009, 06:51:19 PM

This really is the biggest thing since Elvis died. I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news about Elvis, and I think this day will end up in a lot of people's memories the same way.

Michael Jackson had truly gotten stranger and stranger as the years went on, but there was no denying that he was extraordinarily gifted as a musician and dancer. I have personally always felt that he was one of the most talented musicians of the last half of the 20th century. Even with the creepiness factor setting in, I have never gotten tired of listening to his music.

He was technically a neighbor of ours while he and all his weirdness lived out at Neverland. His molestation trial was held at the courthouse here in Santa Maria, only about a mile away from where I live. When he got sick that one day on the way to court, it was our hospital that he ended up in for a couple of days. By that time I was working at my current job at the hospital's extended care center, which requires rounds at the hospital every day. The security was crazy, everything was locked down, we had a handful of crazy fans screaming out in the parking lot, and I even shared an elevator one day with one of his gigantic Nation of Islam bodyguards. It was one of the oddest things that hospital and the city as a whole has ever experienced.

His death really is shocking, and really sad too. I will be looking forward to hearing the autopsy results...he's always been kind of frail, plus I can't help but wonder if preparations he was making for the upcoming tour might have had something to do with it. And I sincerely hope his will was up to date, so that the children are taken care of.

It really is a terrible loss. :(

As for Farrah Fawcett, that was not unexpected, but still it was really sad to hear. I've never been a fan of hers, but I have to say I really admired her for the great courage and dignity she showed throughout her battle with cancer. At least she is no longer suffering now. :(

Figrin D'an

Jun 25th, 2009, 07:16:43 PM

This really is the biggest thing since Elvis died. I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news about Elvis, and I think this day will end up in a lot of people's memories the same way.

It's interesting how certain events like this just stick with you, likely because it gives you pause and really makes you consider your own mortality. I agree that this will probably be one of those moments. I'm a bit too young to remember Elvis dying personally, but the big event of my youth that has always stuck with me was the Challenger explosion.

He was a strange man, very possibly had serious mental issues, and who knows about the allegations of sexual abuse... but there's no denying he was one of the most talented artists of the last 50 years, and was the quintessential icon of pop music.

Travis North

Jun 25th, 2009, 07:54:52 PM

Tear

Jun 25th, 2009, 08:04:26 PM

So far today I've heard:

Michael Jackson - Confirmed,
Farrah Fawcett - Confirmed,
Harrison Ford - Missing...
Jeff Goldblum - Rumored...

What a weird day..

RIP MJ and Farrah. I'll always remember Mike as he was in Thriller (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un3-Hb9wF9s).

As for Harrison Ford and Jeff Goldblum...

http://www.inquisitr.com/27384/harrison-ford-not-dead-either/

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Yeah thats what I thought. Mentioned it in the other thread is seemed hoaxy.

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Mandy with an I

Jun 25th, 2009, 10:34:22 PM

I heard about this all evening at work on the radio. The station manager even commented that it IS like Elvis - I just hope people remember the young Michael and not "Wacko Jacko".

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My favorite MJ song, which was posted on Dlisted :(

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 26th, 2009, 12:31:13 AM

I just woke up and this is the first thing I read. What a sad, sad day :(

Yog

Jun 26th, 2009, 09:01:14 AM

There is a lot of (substantiated) speculation that the use of the painkiller Demerol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demerol), or some similar morphine like prescription drug may have caused his death. Brian Oxman, the Jackson-family attorney was on the news, claiming Michael was on heavy medication. Apparently, he had an addiction, and his father, Joe Jackson, tried to get his son to a rehabilitation clinic in Palmdale, California.

More about this at TMZ: Jackson Family Feared Morphine OD (http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/26/michael-jackson-overdose-demerol-morphine-dies-dead/).

Posted Jun 26th 2009 9:09AM by TMZ Staff

Members of Michael Jackson's family told us the singer was given a "heavy dose of morphine" prior to his death, and family members were alarmed.

We're told Joe Jackson recently wanted to put Michael in a rehab facility in Palmdale, California for what he considered an "addiction" to morphine and prescription drugs.

Family members say they felt he was unable to perform for his upcoming concerts because of his drug use.

Members of the upcoming tour tell TMZ Jackson was generally lethargic and very late for rehearsals.

There are reports Jackson OD'd yesterday on Demerol, a drug similar to morphine.

Interestingly, Jackson wrote a song called "Morphine" in 1997. One of the lyrics -- "Demerol. Demerol. Oh God he's taking Demerol."

UPDATE: Michael Jackson Doctor -- MIA (http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/26/michael-jackson-doctor-morphene-demerol-lapd-overdose/)

We've learned law enforcement is looking for a doctor who lived at Michael Jackson's home -- and the doctor is nowhere to be found.

Law enforcement sources tell us a BMW belonging to the doctor was towed from Jackson's home last night.

Cops are looking to interview the doc.

A law enforcement source says the doctor gave Jackson an injection before he died.

Jackson reportedly may have OD'd on Demerol. As we first reported, family members were concerned that Jackson was taking too much morphine.

Jedi Master Carr

Jun 26th, 2009, 10:13:24 AM

very shocking and sad, he was a great artist even though his last ten years he has gotten very strange.

Only the LAST 10 years?????

well maybe more like 15. He wasn't that weird back in the early 90's

Ooooooh yes he was. He got the name Wacko Jacko before I even left school in 1987

I don't remember any of that till the early 90's especially by 93 when the first child allegations came out. In 87 he was still very much mainstream he just had released Bad.

Vipul Chandrashekar

Jun 26th, 2009, 11:46:23 AM

He outlived Pop by a decade.

Weird motherfucker or not, he had talent out of his ears. He was King Midas of the 80's. Everything he touched was gold.

Jedi Master Carr

Jun 26th, 2009, 03:31:54 PM

Crusader

Jun 26th, 2009, 03:54:46 PM

I really like the way he is treated now by the media. Finally he is recogniced as an artist again and not as the sick guy that he had become.
Don't get me wrong on this but somehow I think his death yesterday might be a good thing that has happened to him as a music icon since I believe that his announced tour would have ended in a disaster. Now he will be remembered for his past work and we will never know how his tour would have ended.
RIP Michael
Now you will be remembered as the artist that you have been.

Lilaena De'Ville

Jun 26th, 2009, 03:59:38 PM

I think this is being way over covered by the media. Don't get me wrong, it needs some coverage. But lets not forget the other news.

Passing on every tiny bit of speculation as it hits is just sensationalistic journalism.

Miranda Tarkin

Jun 26th, 2009, 04:03:13 PM

The media is >_> It really looked over Farrah Fawcett pretty much :(

At least give them equal coverage

It is sad that he has passed and deserves the limelight, but media :shakefist

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 26th, 2009, 04:04:45 PM

Well, he was the biggest selling solo artist of all-time - and he did just die yesterday :mneh If people didn't fuss for at least the week after he died, I would be surprised. Look at the kind of fallout the death of someone like Princess Diana had - his fanbase is bigger and more fanatical than hers, and at least here in the UK there was a seemingly never-ending shitstorm over her death. John Lennon, Elvis Presley, MJ.. all these people have like a cult status. Not that Farah is any less important but they weren't on the same level in terms of their fanbase, both in terms of numbers and dedication.

I agree with Crusader, though - I'm glad that he is being remembered fondly.

Miranda Tarkin

Jun 26th, 2009, 04:22:27 PM

I agree with that as well... I was worried there would be alot hate for him. It is refreshing to read about his past music and that he was going to go back on tour.

Droo

Jun 26th, 2009, 04:23:49 PM

Such is the media's relationship with Michael Jackson. There is only one other man on this planet whose passing may evoke a similar media storm and that's Nelson Mandella and even then, he's long gone fifty years young. The world is losing its cultural icons, and it seems to be the end of an era because I see no-one filling their shoes. Michael Jackson is one of the last of a dying breed, and definately one of, if not the, biggest true superstars we had left. The massive media coverage reflects this, I think, but I just wish they'd stop playing his music everywhere because each time it's like a dagger in my heart, reminding me of what we've lost.

Yog

Jun 26th, 2009, 04:28:48 PM

I think the level of news coverage is just about what could be expected for the most famous person on the planet, with the biggest cultural impact since the Beatles / Elvis (maybe bigger!). I read some statistic, 99% of every grown person on the planet knew who he was. That's kinda big when you consider the lack of access to TV and radio in some developing countries, or some that don't allow you to watch anything else than communist propaganda (hello North Korea!) or forbid western music (hello taliban!).

He is also the most successful entertainment artist of the last century, shattering every conceivable sales record for albums, singles and tickets for live concerts. Oh, and he also has the most playtime on radio and airtime for music videos on TV.

Besides all that, there is the artistic level of everything he did, from musical composition, choreography, inovation and creativity in dance, vocal register, the use of visual effects etc. They were all second to none.

Jedi Master Carr

Jun 26th, 2009, 04:33:43 PM

I think when Paul McCartney dies there will be a similar media storm. Elvis and Lennon's deaths were covered by all the networks.

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 26th, 2009, 04:38:09 PM

Paul McCartney and Madonna are the only two living musicians who I can think of who will probably get the same treatment. As Droo said, we just don't have superstars of that calibre being created anymore - or if we do, we aren't aware of them yet: people whose success spans across decades without becoming dated, transcends genres and reaches all parts of the globe.

(Sorry Ringo.)

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:(

Droo

Jun 26th, 2009, 04:53:24 PM

My favourite performance of what is, possibly, my favourite MJ song. :love

Yog

Jun 26th, 2009, 06:45:17 PM

A tribute. "Gone too soon". :(

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Vipul Chandrashekar

Jun 26th, 2009, 07:05:12 PM

My favourite performance of what is, possibly, my favourite MJ song. :love

We have the same favorite then.

Rutabaga

Jun 26th, 2009, 08:37:21 PM

I think part of the reason for the massive media coverage is his passing was almost completely unexpected. There's also the allure of a mystery, and the possibility that it was the actions of another that might have led to his demise. Although the coverage has been pretty much wall-to-wall, and although I would like to see other stories covered (most especially the situation in Iran), I can understand it and can accept it.

One of our part-time nurses told us today that her daughter-in-law is the supervisor of the ICU at UCLA Medical Center and was in the middle of everything that went down in the ER yesterday. It's true that they worked mightily to try to bring Michael back, although it was obvious from the very beginning that he was long gone. Her daughter-in-law was also one of the people who escorted his body to the morgue, and although they frequently get famous people there (like Ed McMahon was also there), apparently this one really got to her, realizing that one of the world's most famous people was the one they were rolling down to the freezers. It really does kind of give you a case of the shivers.

I'm not surprised to see that the top downloaded singles and albums at iTunes are all Michael's. And yeah, I'll be spending some time there this weekend figuring out what I need to add to my iPod.

Mandy with an I

Jun 26th, 2009, 10:34:57 PM

He's basically the Elvis of our generation. He even had his "weird/fat" phase where he was more known for his lifestyle than the music.

Liz Taylors' statement on his death is heart-breaking (and I'm a big cry-baby lately so :cry). I remember watching a documentary on him, and they showed him celebrating Christmas with her. It was really sweet in a sad sort of way. More people need to remember that he didn't really have a child-hood, like at all. With all his fame and money, he never had what a lot of us take for granted.

Liz Taylors Statement:

"My heart ... my mind ... are broken. I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him. We had so much in common and we had such loving fun together. I was packing up my clothes to go to London for his opening when I heard the news. I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. It can't be so. He will live in my heart forever but it's not enough. My life feels so empty. I don't think anyone knew how much we loved each other. The purest most giving love I've ever known. Oh God! I'm going to miss him. I can't yet imagine life without him. But I guess with God's help ... I'll learn. I keep looking at the photo he gave me of himself, which says, 'To my true love Elizabeth, I love you forever.' And, I will love HIM forever."

Mu Satach

Jun 27th, 2009, 01:22:25 AM

Farrah. :(

Rutabaga

Jun 27th, 2009, 08:02:00 AM

I believe that NBC devoted their entire primetime lineup to Farrah last night, rerunning the Farrah's Story special.

I'm wondering if TV Land or someplace will do a Charlie's Angels marathon at some point.

Dasquian Belargic

Jun 27th, 2009, 11:16:56 AM

Liz Taylors Statement:

"[...]He will live in my heart forever but it's not enough. My life feels so empty. I don't think anyone knew how much we loved each other. The purest most giving love I've ever known. Oh God! I'm going to miss him. I can't yet imagine life without him. But I guess with God's help ... I'll learn. I keep looking at the photo he gave me of himself, which says, 'To my true love Elizabeth, I love you forever.' And, I will love HIM forever."

God, that is sad :( it's hard not to feel like they were just a pair of misunderstood misfits who found some sense of solace in one another.

Rutabaga

Jun 27th, 2009, 10:46:02 PM

Footage of a Jackson-oriented flash mob in San Francisco last night:

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Dasquian Belargic

Jun 28th, 2009, 01:36:54 AM

Haha, I love it, great to see people just getting down and enjoying his music. Wish stuff like that happened here. :)

Droo

Jun 28th, 2009, 03:42:10 AM

That's really wonderful, such a fitting tribute to a man who brought so much joy to people through his music. There's also this video from Liverpool Street in London of something similar, they're nowhere near as animated as the San Francisco dancers unfortunately, but there certainly are numbers there!

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Rutabaga

Jun 28th, 2009, 10:21:11 AM

Holy shit, what the hell is going on? ANOTHER celebrity death, this time that highly annoying infomercial pitchman Billy Mays, found dead in his home this morning. He too was only 50 years old!

http://www.tmz.com/2009/06/28/billy-mays-is-dead/

jjwr

Jun 29th, 2009, 08:12:19 AM

I loved Billy Mays...I'll miss him a lot more than Michael.

Rutabaga

Jul 1st, 2009, 06:12:27 AM

Right now the story is that Michael Jackson's body is going to be brought to Neverland in a 30-car cortege tomorrow for a public viewing on Friday. The mayhem will be unlike anything ever seen in this part of California, I think. We're less than an hour north of the ranch, but we'll still see some effects from it. Brace for impact!

Lilaena De'Ville

Jul 1st, 2009, 12:28:06 PM

I can't imagine that Michael would actually be in favor of a public viewing, he was so private. O_o

Plus... he looked freaky.

Rutabaga

Jul 1st, 2009, 07:54:57 PM

The Jackson family issued a statement today saying there will be NO public viewing at Neverland. This is a relief, because it would have been a logistical nightmare. The ranch is off the beaten path on a country road, so it's just not designed to be able to handle an influx of thousands of people. Plus it's always so damn hot in the Santa Ynez Valley this time of year, no doubt people would be dropping due to heat stroke left and right.

So it just leaves me wondering...if there's not going to be a public viewing, what's the story behind the pictures at TMZ of all the porta-potties and 32,000 pounds of concrete being delivered to Neverland over the last couple of days? Hm? Enquiring minds want to know!

Lilaena De'Ville

Jul 1st, 2009, 07:57:12 PM

They're burying the whole complex under concrete?

ninja edit: or preparing for a large funeral there.

Sigmund Landers

Jul 1st, 2009, 08:07:43 PM

Maybe they're building a crypt or something? Have him buried or entombed there, then rake in money like graceland?

Rutabaga

Jul 1st, 2009, 08:26:26 PM

Rumors are of a public memorial service at the Staples Center in LA, and possibly a private burial at Neverland. But they would have to get permission to bury MJ on the property, because I guess it's not zoned for burials or something like that. Gossip is that if it isn't Neverland, it will be Forest Hills in LA.

As for Neverland itself, most of us in the area are figuring that they would be fools to not make it the Graceland of the West Coast. If they do it, I'll definitely go for a visit since it's a relatively short drive away.

Figrin D'an

Jul 1st, 2009, 08:54:21 PM

I'd bet money at this point that he'll be buried/entombed at Neverland, and it'll become a major tourist attraction, just like Graceland as you mentioned. It would be the easiest way to pay off the mountain of debt that he had built up.

Rutabaga

Jul 2nd, 2009, 06:21:50 AM

Thought I'd share this, this is the photo from the front page of the Santa Maria Times this morning showing the madness on Figueroa Mountain Road outside of Neverland:

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb164/Rutabaga64/sattrucks.jpg

The photo reminded me of when MJ was in our hospital during his trial, and the road outside our facility across the street from the hospital was lined on both sides with satellite trucks. It made it dangerous to drive on that street, plus some of them were in posted "no parking" areas. On the second day, we all pointed and laughed as a Santa Maria PD motorcycle officer started ticketing them all. :lol

Here's a link to the accompanying article in case anyone's interested:

<a href="http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2009/07/02/news/featurednews/news01.txt"> Drama Continues For "King of Pop"</a>

Rutabaga

Jul 5th, 2009, 09:30:27 AM

Holy cow! Want to see something really clever? Watch random tweets spell out the lyrics to Billie Jean!

<a href="http://billietweets.com/">BillieTweets</a>

Definitely a nice, creative tribute. :thumbup

Dasquian Belargic

Jul 7th, 2009, 01:52:56 PM

I just caught the end of the Memorial Service... I will admit I shed a tear or two when his daughter was on stage crying :(

The empty spotlight + Man in the Mirror instrumental combo was pretty touching too.. until that preacher guy came on and ruined it :|

Yog

Jul 7th, 2009, 02:05:58 PM

I watched all of the memorial service. It was both moving and so fitting. There were many moments that were really emotional and personal. A great tribute to the man and the artist Michael Jackson.

Lilaena De'Ville

Jul 7th, 2009, 02:21:51 PM

I'm sure it was nice, but terrible for the economy of the state of California.

Dasquian Belargic

Jul 7th, 2009, 02:25:58 PM

California has bigger economic problems to worry about this, I'm sure...nevermind the fact that this probably brought in a whole lot of tourism to the area.

Emelie Shadowstar

Jul 7th, 2009, 02:32:18 PM

I'm sure it was nice, but terrible for the economy of the state of California.

"The event is expected to cost the city nearly $4 million"

And to think...we were all bitching up a storm here in LA when the Lakers thing happened. Though I don't think any mysterious benefactors are going to be picking up the tab this time. :|

Yog

Jul 7th, 2009, 02:36:50 PM

The security bill for the event will surely be repaid about 1,000 times through increased tourism if they ever make Neverland a museum / memorial park. It would be a bigger magnet than Graceland and Hearst Castle put together.

Dasquian Belargic

Jul 7th, 2009, 02:37:51 PM

It's a lot, yes, but California has wasted in excess of $70 million fighting about Prop 8 :\ So, if you want to talk about wastes of money, I'd say there are bigger issues than celebrating the life and achievements of one of the greatest entertainers we have ever seen and are ever likely to see.

Lilaena De'Ville

Jul 7th, 2009, 02:38:50 PM

You're right, the state of CA has a lot more to worry about than providing security for someone's memorial service, like being more than half a billion dollars in the hole with their state budget.

http://lafiga.firedoglake.com/2009/07/06/michael-jackson-memorial-will-cost-la-a-bundle-family-takes-9000-tickets-for-themselves/

Officials are figuring on 1,400-2,500 police officers (http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE5615KN20090703?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews)to do crowd control around the perimeter and have asked off-duty detectives and high ranking officers to hit the streets.

...

Los Angeles city councilman Dennis Zine thinks Jackson's family and AEG Live--the promoter of Jackson's now-canceled London concerts which owns the Staples Center where the service will be held and Nokia Center where it will be simulcast--should cover the costs, especially because LA is facing $530m budget deficit. Zine, who once tried to pass legislation against paparazzi chasing celebs, said (http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jul/05/la-jackson-memorial-fear-cost):
If the Jackson family's gonna spend $25,000 on a gold casket, I would think that AEG and the Jackson family could help defray the costs so it's a safe and secure environment for mourners that want to come.

He's got that right. It's estimated that the cost to the city in police overtime, street services, sanitation, and related services will be over $2.5 million and rising by the hour, which is more than what the Lakers' championship parade would have cost the financially beleaguered city. Only the Lakers' picked up half the tab, and private donations covered almost all the rest.

The Jacksons and AEG have not been so forthcoming.

Emelie Shadowstar

Jul 7th, 2009, 02:41:20 PM

Yog

Jul 7th, 2009, 02:45:39 PM

Well yes... but this isn't the state that's footing the bill here. It's LA City. :p
I know that. But I'd imagine L.A. gets a slice of the pie regardless, since most tourists traveling to California also visits L.A. :)

Lilaena De'Ville

Jul 7th, 2009, 02:47:59 PM

Well yes... but this isn't the state that's footing the bill here. It's LA City. :p
(So anything Neverland Ranch gets if they set it up as a museum doesn't affect that...since it's in San Bernadino.)

I'm not saying I don't believe that he didn't deserve this sort of thing. Far from it. I just cringe when I hear constantly about city employees getting shafted because of budget issues and then they kinda just lob money around like this.
Right, I just wish that the concert promoters who are getting all the publicity benefits from this would step up and help defray the costs to the taxpayers.

The city doesn't have much of a choice in this - either they provide extra security and all these measures they had to take to keep the mourners/celebrators safe, or they don't and there's mass chaos and probably riots (this IS LA we're talking about).

So they're being forced to spend a big chunk of their budget right off the bat in overtime hours, and leaving themselves open for huuuuge budget concerns later in the fiscal year when there are true emergencies like earthquakes or fires.

edit: and I don't see a Neverland Ranch tourist destination bringing in more tourists than Disneyland and the other attraction in the state already do. People coming as tourists will just add another stop. And the people who own Neverland will make the most of that money.

Emelie Shadowstar

Jul 7th, 2009, 02:52:15 PM

I know that. But I'd imagine L.A. gets a slice of the pie regardless, since most tourists traveling to California also visits L.A. :)

;) not necessarily. You'd be surprised how many people come just for Disnelyand and never leave Anaheim. I wouldn't be surprised if the diehard MJ fans did similar with the ranch. And...Hollywood while our lovely giant tourist trap, actually doesn't get a lot of money tossed back into the city directly from my understanding... while yes, eventually it gets trickled down... at the end of the day... really would have been nice if someone else had picked up the bill here rather than a city that just ...well..can't afford it.

Not to rain on the parade or anything I just get to gripe since it's my tax money. rofl.

Oh...and to not be entirely negative...
the small bits of the memorial I did catch as it was on the tv here in the office...were very lovely and heart touching. Got the marketing girl here to choke up a bit.

Dasquian Belargic

Jul 7th, 2009, 03:03:08 PM

Right, I just wish that the concert promoters who are getting all the publicity benefits from this would step up and help defray the costs to the taxpayers.

Good point. While we're at it, maybe those Mormon's in California who spent $20 million pushing Prop 8 through could spare a little cash for something worthwhile too!

Emelie Shadowstar

Jul 7th, 2009, 03:04:34 PM

Good point. While we're at it, maybe those Mormon's in California who spent $20 million pushing Prop 8 through could spare a little cash for something worthwhile too!

:lol I agree!

Yog

Jul 7th, 2009, 03:05:56 PM

I'm not saying it would pull more tourists than the giant that is Disneyland. That would be ridiculous of me to suggest, with its 14 million visitors every year. What I am saying, it would be a strong magnet by itself, and it would fill a different segment for the more cultural people who are not necessarily interested in animatronics / rides etc. Graceland alone pulls about 600K tourists EVERY YEAR, in frickin Tennessee (a place that most Europeans, Asians etc would never even think about visiting otherwise). Now, extend that to 5,10 50 years and so on. That is a lot stimuli to the economy, both statewide and to Memphis. There are lot of synergy effects at play when you have that many people visiting over time.

Edit: I'm also not suggesting that L.A. should cover the bill alone. But I think when you worry about the $2.5 spent over public budget, you should have the above in mind for a better perspective. Honestly, in the long run, I think you guys are making money out of this. If you don't want him, I'm sure the City Council of Oslo would be happy to pay the bill in return to have Neverland moved here.. ;)

Edit 2 - also this:

The throngs of visitors -- some flying in from as far away as Europe -- could give the local economy a $4-million boost as area hotels, restaurants and tourist destinations report a jump in business.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-jackson-hotels7-2009jul07,0,4596871.story

Rutabaga

Jul 7th, 2009, 05:42:40 PM

Just for the record, Neverland isn't in San Bernardino...it's in northern Santa Barbara county, outside of a small town called Los Olivos. There is still no clear indication of what is going to happen to Neverland. To us in the area it seems a no-brainer to make it into a tourist attraction. Everyone I know who's talked about it has said we'd make the trip to see it since we're less than an hour north of it. MJ still owned a stake in it, so some of the money would still go to his estate, I believe.

I saw bits and pieces of the ceremony at work...the really odd thing was seeing our activities room full of many of our long-term residents, eating popcorn and watching the ceremony. It was almost surreal to see! My parents said they watched the whole thing since it was on every channel, and they actually were impressed and thought it was very nicely done on such short notice. The highlight for everyone seems to have been little Paris speaking so emotionally about her father...everyone has been very touched by it.

According to TMZ and other sources, MJ is NOT being buried at Forest Lawn. No one can ferret out the info, no one knows here his body is going to end up. To be buried at Neverland would require a permit, which can't be gotten quickly or easily. So it's a mystery right now.

I do wonder about the bill that the city of LA is facing. It really is a steep bill, and if anyone from the family or the promotional company or someone else could step in and help foot some the bills, it would be a nice gesture.

Pierce Tondry

Jul 7th, 2009, 06:17:08 PM

Stepping aside from the funeral cost/Neverland tourism/etc debate I have to say this. The song that I will best remember Michael Jackson for is "Black or White" because of its message. I mean, I know everyone remembers Thriller, Bad, Beat It, Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal, etc. They're all great songs. But "Black or White" did something really courageous and admirable (IMO) in the way it openly talked about race-relations and gave a positive direction on the topic.

It's funny. If you asked me what song of his was my favorite to listen to, I'd say Thriller, but if you asked me which one I liked the most, I'd say Black or White.

Here's to hoping that all the issues he had in life don't linger, and that his death allows for any old differences with him to be aside.

Yog

Jul 15th, 2009, 11:17:46 AM

CNN viewers jumped in their chairs when they noticed this shadowy figure moving across the hallway of the Neverland mansion during a Larry King Interview with Jermaine Jackson. Haunted by Michael Jackson's ghost? :ghost

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Lilaena De'Ville

Jul 15th, 2009, 12:35:17 PM

Ok I'm afraid to watch that because I have the feeling its going to turn out to be one of those videos where a horrible face jumps out halfway through to scare the poop out of you. :cry

Tear

Jul 15th, 2009, 12:58:37 PM

lol you can watch it. There's no screaming face randomly cut into it. Just a shadow;)

Lilaena De'Ville

Jul 15th, 2009, 01:59:04 PM

Ok I'm trusting you. :ohno

Yog

Aug 24th, 2009, 09:10:06 PM

It's now confirmed by court documents that Michael Jackson died of lethal levels of Propofol, a powerful anesthetic, which was administered by his personal doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/us/25jackson.html?hp (Court Papers Show Jackson Died of Propofol)

LOS ANGELES — Lethal levels of a powerful anesthetic caused Michael Jackson’s death, according to preliminary coroner findings cited in Texas court documents unsealed Monday.

The documents, a pair of search warrants and affidavits filed by the police in July to search the Houston office and storage unit of Dr. Conrad Murray, Mr. Jackson’s private doctor, provide the most detailed evidence against Dr. Murray by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The police told judges in Texas and Nevada that they suspected Dr. Murray of manslaughter, according to documents filed there.

According to the warrants, Dr. Murray told investigators that he had administered an intravenous drip of 50 milligrams of propofol, an anesthetic, to Mr. Jackson nightly for six weeks before the singer’s death at his Holmby Hills home to help him sleep. Dr. Murray also administered lorazepam, an anti-anxiety drug that can be addictive, and midazolam, a muscle relaxant, to treat Mr. Jackson’s insomnia.

The chief coroner for Los Angeles County, Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran, indicated that his preliminary assessment of the cause of death was due to a lethal dose of propofol, according to the court documents. They also describe how Dr. Murray administered propofol and other drugs, including Valium, on June 25, the day Mr. Jackson died.

“After approximately 10 minutes, Murray stated he left Jackson’s side to go to the restroom,” the documents show. “Murray stated he was out of the room for about two minutes maximum. Upon his return, Murray noticed that Jackson was no longer breathing.”

Dr. Murray said he tried to resuscitate Mr. Jackson and administered flumazenil, a drug to reverse the effects of the sedatives in his system, and then called Mr. Jackson’s personal assistant, Michael Amir Williams, for help. Mr. Williams called Mr. Jackson’s security detail while Dr. Murray asked the singer’s chef to send one of his sons upstairs to the bedroom as he continued cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Dr. Murray waited about 82 minutes before anyone called paramedics to the home, according to the court documents.

Investigators said Dr. Murray did not initially tell paramedics or doctors that he had given Mr. Jackson propofol.

Mr. Jackson was eventually taken to University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, where he died. Medical experts said Monday that the combination of drugs Mr. Jackson was given would have exacerbated the effect of the propofol.

Drugs like lorazepam and Valium have the effect of slowing a person’s breathing.

“If you are going to put on top of that some propofol, you are not only standing on thin ice, but starting to jump up and down on that ice,” said Dr. John F. Dombrowski, director of the Washington Pain Center. “If you don’t have someone who knows how to manage respiratory depression, you’re going to die.”

The documents indicate that Dr. Murray tried to revive Mr. Jackson with flumazenil, which reverses the effects of benzodiazepines like lorazepam. But “there’s no drug that reverses propofol per se,” said Dr. Robert R. Kirby, an anesthesiologist.

And waiting 82 minutes to call 911 was inexplicable to medical experts. “Lord, no; you’d call right away,” Dr. Kirby said.

Investigators said they found numerous bottles of medications prescribed by various doctors at Mr. Jackson’s bedside and throughout his living quarters.

Dr. Murray said that he was not the first doctor to administer propofol to Mr. Jackson, that he suspected Mr. Jackson was addicted to the drug and that he tried to wean him off of it, the documents state. Dr. Murray told the police that the singer referred to propofol as his “milk.” On the day he died, Mr. Jackson was unable to sleep and, after repeated demands, the doctor administered propofol in an IV drip.

Investigators also interviewed Cherilyn Lee, a nurse who described how Mr. Jackson asked her to obtain propofol for him.

“He stated he would pay her or another doctor whatever they wanted for it,” according to the affidavit. Ms. Lee told investigators that she refused.

On June 1, Mr. Jackson’s bodyguard called to tell her Mr. Jackson was ill.

“She heard Jackson in the background saying, ‘One side of my body is hot, and the other side is cold,’ ” according to the affidavits. Ms. Lee told investigators that she told the bodyguard he should go to the hospital.

Dr. Murray was a cardiologist in Houston, Las Vegas and Los Angeles for 20 years. Earlier this year, AEG, an event promoter and stadium operator, hired him to be Mr. Jackson’s personal physician during a planned series of 50 concerts in London, for a monthly salary of $150,000.

A special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, which investigates prescription fraud, said records showed that despite the discovery of bottles of propofol at Mr. Jackson’s home, Dr. Murray “never ordered, purchased nor received any propofol.”

Dr. Murray told investigators that Mr. Jackson obtained propofol from various sources, including two unidentified doctors in Germany and an anesthesiologist in Las Vegas.

Mr. Jackson’s relatives and associates have said the singer used several aliases to obtain prescription drugs.

Public records show that Dr. Murray was in serious financial trouble before he became Mr. Jackson’s doctor, facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in debts and liens and a Las Vegas home in foreclosure proceedings.

Ed Chernoff, a lawyer for Dr. Murray, said in a statement Monday: “Much of what was in the search warrant affidavit is factual. However, unfortunately, much is police theory. Most egregiously, the timeline reported by law enforcement was not obtained through interviews with Dr. Murray.”

Lt. Fred Corral, an investigator at the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, said the toxicology tests and a final autopsy report had been completed but were being kept confidential at the request of the Los Angeles Police Department, which continues to investigate Dr. Murray.

A spokesman for the police department said he had no official statement regarding the case since the investigation was continuing.

Sounds like Dr. Murray will get some kind of criminal charge due to the lethal dose of propofol.