comment #1

Ronald McFirbank says ...

He wanted to be Diana Ross; he seems to have wound up Judy Garland.

comment #2

p.Vice says ...

Well, at least now Biggie and Tupac have someone to keep them company.

comment #3

dinovelvet says ...

Are we to assume he was taking mucho medication which led to the heart attack? I guess it'll all come out sooner or later. Access Hollywood and Entertainment Tonight just got six months worth of material!

comment #4

Movie Watcher says ...

Wow, what a day. Still thinking about Farrah, Michael Jackson is gone. Many things will be said in the days to come; people feel they have to say something about what happened today.
R.I.P. Michael and Farrah

comment #5

Howlingman says ...

This is going to make Princess Di's funeral look like a model of taste and restraint.

comment #6

Ben C says ...

Well whaddaya know.

Looks like Mark Sanford caught a break.

comment #7

dinovelvet says ...

Indeed, Howlingman, the next few weeks are going to be an absolute once in a lifetime freakshow. It'll be a fascinating pop culture moment either way.

comment #8

caslab says ...

When OJ Simpson dies, everyone will immediately start talking about the murders. Interesting no one anywhere has mentioned Jackson's dirty laundry yet.

comment #9

scooterzz says ...

wow..this is a bad night for an opening at the geffen...

comment #10

DeeZee says ...

"Who dies at age 50 if you're fit and not Elvis Presley, or otherwise not a standard candidate for a heart attack?"

http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AAMER

comment #11

dangovich says ...

What a bizarre, exhilarating, sad life.

I wonder what if he had a Rosebud?

comment #12

Gnome de Guerre says ...

caslab, maybe it's out of respect? Weird concept for pop culture vultures, eh?

comment #13

Howlingman says ...

There's rumblings that Jeff Goldblum has died in NZ. Unconfirmed.

comment #14

dinovelvet says ...

Oh the laundry is on its way...after he's buried and all the tributes have come and gone, you know it'll come out. Macaulay Culkin's answerphone is probably filled with interview requests already...

comment #15

televisiontears says ...

Caslab, Simpson could run really fast and carry a funny looking ball. Jackson was an international icon who commanded the following of millions of obsessive fans.

Who do you think had a more significant cultural significance in their work?

comment #16

Edward says ...

For all his eccentricity, he made some wonderful music. RIP.

comment #17

dinovelvet says ...

Damn, Goldblum? I couldn't find any links about it. Really hope that one isn't true. He was just on Jimmy Fallon's show last week.

comment #18

Ben C says ...

Goldblum stories false.

Look up Kauri Cliffs and see how many versions come up.

comment #19

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

There's a link on Google News about the Goldblum story, but the site it leads to is dead. Hope that's not true as well. That'd be a truly random and baffling trio of celebrity deaths in a day.

comment #20

dinovelvet says ...

Phew, the Goldblum thing appears to be bogus. There are some links that pop up when you search, but they go to completely different articles. Sounds like some news agencies got duped and immediately yanked the story.

comment #21

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

Rumours now that Harrison Ford has died. I think the Twitter crowd are going mental.

comment #22

Ben C says ...

Meme.

Did the story look like this?

THIS STORY IS STILL DEVELOPING...

Actor Tom Hanks died while filming a movie in New Zealand early this morning - November 18, 2006.

Preliminary reports from New Zealand Police officials indicate that the actor fell more than 60 feet to his death on the Kauri Cliffs while on-set.

The accident occured at aproximatly 4:30 a.m. (UTC/GMT +12). Additional details and information will be forthcoming.

comment #23

Howlingman says ...

^^ Apparently these are the same cliffs that got Tony Danza. Tragic,

comment #24

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

Harrison Ford's yacht sunk according to the rumour mongers. I'm guessing this has also claimed a few celebrities in the past, too.

comment #25

Movie Watcher says ...

Bosh, I couldn't get to the twitter top searches on the right of the page, or whatever they're called. Too many people on twitter right now.
McMachon/Farrah/Jackson. 3 in one week.
Howlingman, you're right about that. That funeral is going to be packed with A thru Z listers! Everybody is going to try and get some camera time. The bullshit will be endless.

comment #26

dinovelvet says ...

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/hoaxes/tomhanks.asp

Yeah its bogus. The 'Blum lives. (Presumably).

comment #27

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

Uri Geller is already all over the news in the UK looking sad. He's a strange one.

comment #28

Movie Watcher says ...

I meant McMahon, sorry about that.

comment #29

vansmith says ...

DAMN, I FEEL LIKE DENIRO IN GOODFELLAS WHEN HE'S IN THE PHONE BOOTH HEARING ABOUT PESCI......Hey he left the building, We're all gonna die...shit...

comment #30

ErrantElan says ...

I'm wondering if there's anyone alive whose death could have seemed as immediately shocking, or certainly as culturally powerful. Probably not. Well, if Obama was assassinated, of course.

Only being 28, I wasn't around for Elvis's death, nor John Lennon's. Those were probably as monumental in their worldwide potency, but this is really the first major, major death during the internet era (Diana was just a bit before).

interesting stuff.

comment #31

KC says ...

Ten bucks says P. Vice was that guy in the office Nov. 5 making everyone uncomfortable with his comic musings on whether they're gonna let "us" say the n-word now

comment #32

scooterzz says ...

so...how will audiences now react to the latoya jackson bit in 'bruno'....will universal feel the need to remove it (it mocks both her and michael)....
also ironic that, because of the 'bruno' premiere tonight at the chinese, jackson's star on the walk of fame is not accessible to fans (making some of them a little wonky).....

comment #33

Gervase Fen says ...

There's a precedent. Here in the UK I remember the projectionist at the multiplex I worked at cutting out frames from Austin Powers, a gag about Prince Charles having an extra-marital affair. The film opened the day before Diana's funeral.

comment #34

dinovelvet says ...

Bruno is on Conan tonight. It'd be a slam dunk for the film's publicity if he makes a huge headline-grabbing "too soon" Michael Jackson joke.

comment #35

lazarus says ...

This freak spent countless amounts of money trying to turn himself into a white person with unnecessary surgeries, and built a Xanadu-esque fantasyland for himself so he could continue his sheltered, delusional existence. You wonder if any of that time and money would have been put to better use? And it's not like he's been busy making music, either. He's put out what, 5 albums to Prince's 30+, and hasn't made anything relevant in over 15 years.

And great point Caslab made about O.J. It's as if the TWO times he was accused of child molestation never happened. He had SLEEPOVERS with kids. They found books of nude child photography in his home. WItnesses against him were threatened and intimidated, if I'm not mistaken. And he settled out of court for a ridiculous sum of money (like 1/5 of his money or something?).

The guy made Britney Spears look like a model parent.

Good riddance.

comment #36

televisiontears says ...

Wow, you're awesome, lazarus. You really keep it real.

Of course he was a deeply disturbed, dangerous individual. Most great artists are. But can we seperate the art from the artist for just a few hours? Because that's what his true legacy will be. He made some truly amazing records and was as well known around the world as freakin' Coca-Cola. I don't think it's out of line to try and appreciate the good things the man did for at the time it takes for his body to cool down.

I'm sure when Woody Allen dies, no one on HE will be saying "good riddance" an hour later.

But you keep on keeping it real, yo. The world needs to know. Fight that good fight, and let people know that Michael Jackson was a crazy child molester. In case we forgot.

comment #37

nodirectionhome says ...

The real Michael Jackson, the man who everyone is honoring today died back in the '90s. As a child of the Pepsi Generation, he was an idol up until his disappearence, what reappeared was a ghastly shell of a subhuman who pulled back the curtain exposing the childhood realism that all heroes are merely mortal. RIP, MJ

comment #38

ErrantElan says ...

I wouldn't allow a child of mine to even talk to him, granted. But I agree with TelevisionTears that, for now, who cares about that?

Watch the video for "Smooth Criminal", take in his ungodly dance moves, and then consider the fact that he wrote or co-wrote all of his music (including the riff to Beat It, which he supposedly tossed-off casually) and you're watching one of those rare cases of preternatural talent at work. Like Elvis at Sun, or The Beatles...well, always.

comment #39

vansmith says ...

yeah lazarus, i saw your comment before and i wanted to respond with equal venom but guys like you get a pass today...

comment #40

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

And why is it a good thing that Prince made 30+ albums in the time it took Jacko to make 5? Most of Prince's albums are shit. I'd rather have quality over quantity.

comment #41

Chicago48 says ...

The fight over the estate is going to be interesting....he owed $400Mill....that's enough to kill you right there.

comment #42

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey says ...

This guy will struggle for material: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbLewhzA6WQ

comment #43

lazarus says ...

I'm curious, televisiontears, what Woody Allen has to do with all of this? Because the only person who accused him of similar crimes was Mia Farrow, and the psychologists who examined their kids threw out the case.

Or are you one of those people who like to keep spreading the lie that "Woody fucked his step-daughter" or some similar bullshit?

comment #44

a1 says ...

Wow, Lazarus - you come storming out of the gate to slam one great artist for his sexual perversities and terrible judgment, and then turn all apologist for the other one? That whiplash change in attitude's pretty interesting....

comment #45

Nick X says ...

Ha--I was at that Public Enemies screening at 84th today and in the thirty minutes before the movie started, I overhead about twenty different conversations about Jackson's death.

comment #46

televisiontears says ...

No, Woody married his girlfriend's daughter and as a result, much of his reputation was sullied. Not quite Jackson-level, but it was a creepy dick-move. Roman Polanski might have been a better example, but who cares? You know exactly what the hell I'm talking about, and the fact that you can't respond to the actual idea of my post tells me that you know you're full of shit.

In situations like this, you always get a couple of assholes who feel a need to be contrarian just to stir things up and get some attention. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Some of my best friends are assholes.

comment #47

FWickman says ...

Personal life aside (asking a lot, admittedly), can we please make this break out at his funeral? To me there could be no more fitting tribute to his music's universality:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIYaOePI44I

comment #48

Chase Kahn says ...

"The real Michael Jackson, the man who everyone is honoring today died back in the '90s. As a child of the Pepsi Generation, he was an idol up until his disappearence, what reappeared was a ghastly shell of a subhuman who pulled back the curtain exposing the childhood realism that all heroes are merely mortal. RIP, MJ"

This is why I feel like Milkman today. I heard he died and I listened to the report for about 3 minutes on the radio (where I heard it) and then just went back to what I was doing. I don't have to remind people that the guy has been an absolute train wreck for the last 15 years and has only been relevant when holding babies out windows or battling child molestation charges.

The dude had had it. Honestly, Heath Ledger's death felt more significant for me -- obviously not the talent or the icon of MJ, but Ledger went out on top, Jackson is an unrecognizable has-been -- moving on.

comment #49

a1 says ...

Now I think MJ's music was a great gift to the world, and I hope he finds the peace in his next existence he so desperately wanted in this one.

But I feel there's one positive thing to come out of this otherwise sad event: The Avalanche of Crazy Michael Jackson Bullshit is almost over. No more insane collections, surprise appearances, deranged superfans, inappropriate uses of his children, or surgical mutilations. This diseased culture is obsessed with flooding the public with every crazy thing Michael Jackson did, and it's a relief the spigot's about to be turned off.

comment #50

btwnproductions says ...

You think? The Elvis-ing of Jacko has only just begun.

comment #51

lazarus says ...

Televisiontears, yes, Polanski would have been a much more appropriate (or inappropriate, as it were) example.

I haven't been into MJ's music since Thriller came out. It was fun when I was 11, but it sounds like slickly produced pap to me now. Take away the music videos and the dancing and the music/singing itself ain't that great. I can only stomach Off the Wall and the stuff he did when he was younger. Was he influential? Sure. I'm not sure if it's all in good way, though.

Bottom line is that the guy just isn't relevant, and hasn't been since Dangerous came out. So I'm having a hard time buying the "loss to music" angle. He's not Cobain at 27, Buddy Holly at 23, or even Lennon at 40. He's Elvis but even more ridiculous and without the '68 comeback.

comment #52

a1 says ...

Oh sure, Jackson's going to become an Icon of Music. But I don't remember there being a cottage industry dedicated to holding up Elvis as this Gold Mine of Crazy and giddily shoving his weirdness in our faces. Those guys just lost their best supply.

comment #53

caslab says ...

I get the whole "separate the art from the artist" thing . . . Billie Jean is an amazing fucking song . . . one of the best I'v ever heard . . . I GET IT. But the guy was a sexual predator. That seems to be what I spent most of later years focusing on, anyway . . . so that's part of his legacy, too.

comment #54

vansmith says ...

Right now im hearing from friends all over the world in NY in London in Africa and Korea in the west indies, all over there are millions of people crying lighting candles dancing, remembering, 40yrs of music of life time memories, this isnt about a few snarky internet fucks who are above it all, if he didnt resonate with you stand down because there were so many that he did impact that did enjoy the videos the moves the voice...the music man...the music.....

comment #55

televisiontears says ...

Caslab, sometimes :) > :(

comment #56

Scott Feinberg says ...

I wasn't his most rabid fan by any means, but I agree with vansmith... if you've got nothing worthwhile to say, shut the hell up.

comment #57

DeeZee says ...

I remember Jeff mentioning a while back that Cruise no longer being a huge star reflected the death of the 80s. But I disagree. Jackson's passing is the final nail in the coffin of that decade I'd like to believe ended when Freddie Mercury passed away.

lazarus: I think he lost me when he dangled his kid by the foot. But there's still something tragic about the whole thing-that he never got a second chance at changing his image. Well, ok, he had plenty of chances, and he blew them, but I kept hoping he'd get his act together again one day; and I'm kind of saddened that it never happened. Makes me think Joe must've really ruined the poor bastard's life, and that no amount of success and fame could erase the psychological damage done to him.

a1: Doubt it. Neverland Ranch will be the new Graceland, and we'll be seeing tabloid stories where he's really "alive", too.

comment #58

televisiontears says ...

I think I'm bummed about this mostly because I was waiting for him to reinvent himself. He was prepping his big comeback, and in my wishful thinking I pictured him in normal street clothes sitting down with a couple of guitarists crooning his heart out. And then for an encore, he brings out The Roots and tears the house down with some seriously funky and epic shit.

I'll just let that live on in my nerd-brain.

comment #59

ErrantElan says ...

Hah, televisiontears, I was with you earlier, man, but now you're stretching it a bit. I think envisioning the Roots possibility exhibits a fundamental misunderstanding of just how insanely, irretrievably "sheltered and delusional" he'd truly become (as someone above said)

I've been as complimentary as anyone about Mike on this thread, but that's pretty much limited to pre-mid-90's. After that, he really was just a lost freak and almost definite child molester, one that wasn't even artistically defensible anymore. There was no Roots special in the offing, just as Elvis never had a second comeback in the offing...after the 68 special, it was all downhill to drugs, bloat, and sequined jumpsuits. yes, hindsight is 20/20, but I'll be damned if both of their sadly early ends don't now simply seem inevitable.

comment #60

televisiontears says ...

ErrantElan, that was nothing more than a nerd fantasy. I'm aware that there are greater odds of Jackson returning to life to form a supergroup with Cobain, Sinatra, Hendrix, and Woody Guthrie than that happening.

But there was at least the hope that he could have done something semi-relevant again.

comment #61

ErrantElan says ...

Fair enough, and good point.

Semi-relevant would have been nice. C'est la vie.

comment #62

Rod32303 says ...

Isn't relative to whom? Elitist Crackers?

Fuck the haters. Again.

To Black folk like me and thousands like me will always be "relevant." We will always love the memories of the music of Michael Jackson. Black people remember the racial barriers he and his brothers tore down when Diana Ross introduced this amazing AMERICAN act in 69, and when Ed Sullivan did the same, not to mention ROCK stations playing Billie Jean and Beat It back in 1983. Black people remember the gems that the world loved, from The Love You Save through Ben, Dancin' Machine and Enjoy Yourself, through Don't Stop TIll You Get Enough and Can You Feel It, through all of Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous...and gems the world may not have known like Looking Through The Window and Lovely One.

I know a lot of you who aren't black also appreciated his music, and remember him when his talent seemed to be his main focus, not this freak show we've had to endure these past ten or twelve years, but the dismissals on here and the claims of his relevancy (um, The JONAS BROTHERS have the number one album in the country, to give a little perspective) sounds a little lilly white to me. Ask most black people who Kurt Cobain is and watch the answer you'll get. Ask them what Buddy Holly song or John Lennon song they remember best and watch the answer you get. THAT'S all relative.

Don't understand how if you were fucked up as a kid by a shitty, tyrannical father, how you go on to maybe fucking up other children, if he did that. Nothing defensible there, if it is true. That mother was no sterling witness, though, and that acquittal stands.

But I do understand the thrill of what it felt like to hear he and his brothers sing "I Want You Back" when I was six, and to hear them again singing "Shake Your Body Down To The Ground" when I was 15 and to be blown away by "Off The Wall" at 16 and "Thriller" at 19.

RIP, MJ.

comment #63

Rod32303 says ...

One last point about RELEVANCY...

go to any dance club, ANY dance club in any neighborhood or city, and watch all the club heads pose and lounge, attitudinizing and standing all affected while some bass heavy modern bullshit drones in the background.

Then watch what happens when the first strands of "Wanna Be Startin Something" or "Working Day And Night" come on. Listen to the joy in the screams while everyone rushes to the dance floor.

comment #64

Chase Kahn says ...

Rod, you're trying to back up your point that MJ is relevant by referencing "Thriller"?

That's like saying Led Zeppelin is still relevant and pointing out how great Physical Graffiti was.

Michael Jackson WAS a great artist -- an icon -- there's no denying that. But for god's sake, the man hasn't done anything in the last 15 years except become closer and closer to resembling life from another planet.

comment #65

DeeZee says ...

Chase: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/38879

comment #66

Rod32303 says ...

Yeah, that's what I'm saying, Chase. If the reference point is Cobain or Buddy Holly or John Lennon or Elvis, as was the point of the above moron, then MJ is relevant still.

As the people who sold out those 50 shows in London. Or ask Ne-Yo, will.i.am, Lil' Wayne, John Mayer, Bono, Madonna, Wyclef, all probably relevant in some respects to people these past 15 years - they all gave statements today speaking of his greatness and relevance as an influence.

Could give a shit about the wacko jacko from another planet, Chase. That's not delusional. I know he's fucked up. So what. Will always love the music.

Always.

comment #67

Ghost072 says ...

hey lazarus: fuck you.

comment #68

ErrantElan says ...

Rod, I'm half-black, so I guess in your strict color-coded world that doesn't count for much, but I feel very sorry for black people if they don't have any interest in John Lennon, Buddy Holly, or Kurt Cobain simply because they weren't black, or didn't make "urban" music.

I feel just as sorry for them as I do for any white person who dismisses black music out of hand. The whole point of a figure like Michael Jackson is that he brought people of different races together through his music. Your race-coded theatrics make a mockery of that.

And no, he wasn't relevant in today's musical world, any more than Madonna is. Sure, they sell out concerts, but so do The Rolling Stones, and I don't think anyone would argue that THEY have any relevant music now. Not that they might not make good music, but relevant? Culturally important music? Of course not.

comment #69

vansmith says ...

What are you talking about, relevant culturally important music, who's making it now? who's making it now thats better than what jackson or madonna have made? dude come on the music biz is DOA. what, john mayer? some of these other whiny guitar players come on. the stones, madonna, jackson all these dinosaurs sell out because thats what people are responding to. Culturally relevant, come on your'e kidding yourself. not that you cant have your current day favorites, hey Green Day is powerful but theyre along way from the old guys..

comment #70

lazarus says ...

For someone who was such a significant figure in black culture, MJ sure tried to make himself look as white as possible through his surgeries.

Isn't that hard to reconcile? And I don't mean that in a snarky way.

comment #71

mccool III: 3-D says ...

Caslab, Simpson could run really fast and carry a funny looking ball. Jackson was an international icon who commanded the following of millions of obsessive fans.

Who do you think had a more significant cultural significance in their work?

If by cultural you mean pop culture. Neither changed the world for the better and both will disappear into obscurity once the generations who know them today are dead and buried.

Is inventing the phrase "mama se mama sa mamakusa" much more profound than inspiring and entertaining people by running with an oblong ball? Making millions laugh by playing Nordberg, one of the all-time classic comedic characters??? Ok, I kid....

Obviously Jackson was more popular and artistic, but your mistake is in suggesting that that in itself means anything...that Jackson will have any resonance with future generations. His music is as disposable as the rest of today's music and most films (and I say this as someone with a deep appreciation for some of his stuff). He was the King of POP, after all, and pop culture doesn't last. I doubt seriously music afficianados two-, three-, four hundred years from now will be listening to Michael Jackson, or teaching about him as one of the masters. (I actually have a hard time believing any of today's or recent artists will be remembered more than a generation or two from now, but that's an entirely different academic debate).

comment #72

btwnproductions says ...

Meanwhile, Variety's Todd McCarthy went thumbs sideways on Public Enemies:

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117940559.html?categoryid=31&cs=1

comment #73

Ronald McFirbank says ...

Nobody was bigger than Bing Crosby, and he only gets trotted out at Christmas.

Sic transit gloria mundi, suckas.

comment #74

ErrantElan says ...

vansmith, I didn't say anyone was making anything culturally important, I just said that if ANYONE is, it sure as hell wasn't Michael Jackson. He wasn't even making music!

And besides, I think you're mistaking "culturally relevant" for "good". Cultural relevance simply means being relevant to the lives of people in present-day culture. Those people can very well be philistine idiots, but their music is still relevant to them.

comment #75

DeeZee says ...

Rod: Lennon did a duet with Chuck Berry, and cited his music as one of his influences. In addition, I imagine that Boyz II Men knew of John's band, since they covered "Yesterday". As for Buddy Holly, I imagine him being a "no-name" across all demos, since that plane crash prevented him from hitting the big time. Moving on to Cobain, well I saw a black guy wearin' a Nirvana shirt a week or so ago, actually. Shit, if you wanna go further, I was acquainted with a sister who's daughter was into Hannah Montana. And no, I don't live in the Midwest. Nowadays, it seems you're no longer "not black" if you don't automatically listen to hip-hop than you would be if you were doing it a decade ago. [Hell, Spike Lee said he got flack for being into Lenny Kravitz.] iPod's probably contributed to that phenomenon. But I can understand the Cobain thing, since his widow killed the whole image of the band with her white trash shenanigans.