# Sad day - both Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson dying.



## Sue Ellen (25 Jun 2009)

At least Farrah Fawcett has been sick for some time now so her death was not a shock but Michael Jackson's was certainly out of the blue.  Feel very sorry for the 3 children.

May they both rest in peace.


----------



## S.L.F (25 Jun 2009)

Sue Ellen said:


> At least Farrah Fawcett has been sick for some time now so her death was not a shock but Michael Jackson's was certainly out of the blue. Feel very sorry for the 3 children.
> 
> May they both rest in peace.


 
According to this Michael Jackson died today. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/25/michael-jackson-dies-_n_221104.html

Sad day


----------



## Phibbleberry (26 Jun 2009)

* Re: MJ - I am sorry for his kids, but at the end of the day.... I may buck the trend here: Regardless of what he may or may not have been through as a child/teenager, he was a fairly dubious bloke..musical/video genius or not. Feel free to flame...but..you know you agree! Do I give him the benefit of doubt in his death, that I didn't give him in life? Ooh, do you all hate me????*

Very sorry for Farrah and her family - such a pity she didn't get married in the end as she'd hoped.

Nobody is more lost to someone that is close...we may well respect someone but at the end of day...we didn't know him/her. Admiration is one thing...reverence is inappropriate in the case of MJ and grief may be a slight exaggeration of fans of FF. People can be sad, but the black hole that is the allegations that have abounded cannot be ignored in MJs case, a respectful sorrow for those who are _actually _affected should be maintained.


----------



## ney001 (26 Jun 2009)

I grew up listening to Jackson and was a complete fan of his so I am sad to think that such a talent is gone!.  I cannot however reconcile that talented individual with the man who died yesterday, and I could not feel particularly sad.  Despite the fact that he was never convicted of anything, I feel that at best he had wildly inappropriate relationships with children and in the end I wouldn't even listen to one of his songs on the radio.   I am curious as to what will happen to his children. 

The only thing that will make me sad now is the massive outpouring of grief and scenes like Dianas funeral.  Not to mention countless interviews with the rest of the strange Jacksons followed my long years of court battles fighting for his money or what was left of it!


----------



## DeeFox (26 Jun 2009)

Just heard a very surreal interview with well known Cork Auctioneer, Dominic Daly, who spent two weekends in 2007 showing Michael Jackson properties in the Cork area.   He took him to a pub - "the kind of pub where they wouldn't get excited about who you are" - so he could have a sip of Murphys!  That was kept quiet!!

I was a huge Michael Jackson fan in the late eighties/nineties.  My first ever cassette was Bad and I nearly wore it out.  I had posters up on my wall and bought the biography.  I loved songs like "She's out of my life" or "The girl is mine".  Whatever else about him, he was very talented musically.


----------



## liaconn (26 Jun 2009)

I think his life was just getting sadder and more tragic all the time and I really don't think the poor guy had an awful lot left to live for. Hopefully his children may get to live a relatively  normal life now. I really don't think he was a suitable person to be raising them and am surprised he was let do so. Anyway, may he rest in peace.


----------



## Chocks away (26 Jun 2009)

A mad, depraved genius.


----------



## Betsy Og (26 Jun 2009)

While obviously he was off the wall in many respects, I'm not convinced he was an abuser. Ok there was some very inappropriate stuff but from what few scraps I know he was a child like person - Peter Pan & all that stuff. So it MAY have been more like a sleepover than abuse.

I was more shocked by a) parents allowing their kids to be put in the position and the cynic in me thinks they saw dollar signs and b) did MJ not have any sane people around him to point out that what he was doing was just not cricket and left him wildly exposed to allegations.

For many years I've felt sorry for the guy and no matter his money, fame and talent I wouldnt have swapped with the guy for 1 second because I think its obvious he was not a happy man. 

So I think he will ultimately be remembered for his talent & his fruitiness and I think thats a fair reflection. As regards him having the kids, I was never very comfortable with that idea but heres hoping there are some normal people on the scene to mind them and ultimately the money should, I hope, keep them going.


----------



## Caveat (26 Jun 2009)

I'm sorry to say but the name Michael Jackson makes me think of 'weirdness' and allegations before I think of his music.

A troubled person, RIP.


----------



## DrMoriarty (26 Jun 2009)

Amen.

Apparently the doctors who examined him couldn’t pinpoint whether it was the sunshine, the moonlight, the good times or the boogie that finally did him in.
But my gut tells me it was probably the boogie.


----------



## ney001 (26 Jun 2009)

Good one Doc!


----------



## Purple (26 Jun 2009)

They now say that he actually fell over a pram/stroller and then had a heark attack but they are not sure yet if they can blame it on the buggie.


----------



## ney001 (26 Jun 2009)

Los Angeles police have now been round to Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch this afternoon. It is being reported that they found Class A drugs in his kitchen, Class B drugs in his bathroom and Class 4C in his bedroom


----------



## dewdrop (26 Jun 2009)

*Reaction to Jackos passing away.*

Sad as all deaths are i feel there has been mass over reaction in the media to his passing. It was not very long ago the media were hounding him.


----------



## The_Banker (26 Jun 2009)

Without a doubt a musical genius but whether he was a flawed individual or someone who was used and abused by the media will probably come out in a few years as people and media can now print what they couldn’t print when he was alive.

The early fame that came to him at 5 years old was probably a form of child abuse and many people prospered from his genius. 

The media hype that will now continue for the next few days/weeks/months will be on a par with Diana Spencer’s death and will probably be played out in the public eye and his grave becoming a place of pilgrimage. 

He was a brilliant musician but lets all calm down on the hype.


----------



## liaconn (26 Jun 2009)

I think it will be more on a par with Elvis Presley - annual pilgrimages to Neverland etc. I'm just waiting for the rumours to start up that he's not really dead but has changed his identity and so on.


----------



## Caveat (26 Jun 2009)

The_Banker said:


> a musical genius


 
I really wouldn't agree with that.

Not wanting to speak ill of him, but he was a _'pop star'_ in every sense of the phrase IMO. I'm not saying he wasn't talented, but there wasn't really anything absolutely outstanding about any of his work - it was neither particularly innovative, groundbreaking nor original.

He was probably a better _performer_ - dancer, singer, showman/theatrics etc - than he was songwriter TBH.

Apologies if that opinion offends anyone but it's not meant to.


----------



## csirl (26 Jun 2009)

*Re: Reaction to Jackos passing away.*

I agree - more or less 24hr news coverage is a bit over the top. Yes, it is a big news story and should be in the news bulletins, but it should not be the only story in the news. The Iranian mullahs must be delighted with this - has taken their election fiasco out of the news.


----------



## TarfHead (26 Jun 2009)

*Re: Reaction to Jackos passing away.*

The banner, earlier today, on the NY Times website was 'The World mourns Michael Jackson'.

I think it should read 'Michael Jackson is mourned across the world'.

Not many people in this office have mentioned it since they arrived in this morning.


----------



## csirl (26 Jun 2009)

Agree with Caveat.

While he did produce some good music, it was hardly earth shattering. I think that most of the legend is more to do with PR hype that reality. While good, Thriller and Bad werent legendary even in their day. 

Jacksons music career can be summed up by over the top hype claiming that his next video/album etc. is the best in history, followed by loads of people buying it based on the hype (usually when first released before people have had a chance to listen) followed by a feeling that maybe it isnt as good as the hype.

His world wide fame is more due to his unusual lifestyle and habits than his music.


----------



## Betsy Og (26 Jun 2009)

*Re: Reaction to Jackos passing away.*

I doubt it'll be a Diana style thing, not on this side of the Atlantic anyway. Many people had no time for him, or pitied him etc., but few seemed to really idolise/appreciate/look up to him. Therefore few feel any great sense of loss.

Britain was fascinated by their princess, she was good looking, never did anything of note out of the way, they had goodwill towards her since Charles seemed a bit of knob and she had to put up with that, plus there was the whole mystery about the circumstances of her death. So while it was a bit OTT at the time it was understandable to a fair degree. I was in London at the time and went to see the funeral cortege passing, not because I thought much about her before her death or on her death, but because it seemed a bit of a historical (and hysterical) moment.


----------



## DeeFox (26 Jun 2009)

Caveat said:


> I'm not saying he wasn't talented, but there wasn't really anything absolutely outstanding about any of his work - it was neither particularly innovative, groundbreaking nor original.


 
Can't believe I'm defending Michael Jackson, I'm not his biggest fan but I do think that a lot of his songs are timeless and very, very good.  The Thriller video was outstanding and groundbreaking - it is still brilliant now so many years later.  There's a reason why Thriller is the best selling album of all time. The Moonwalk was original wasn't it?  Ben, Billie Jean, Blame it on the Boogie- these are all very memorable songs.  I don't think there was anyone else quiet like him.  Again, I'm not a huge fan - I just think he deserves recognition as an incredibly talented artist.


----------



## csirl (26 Jun 2009)

> The Thriller video was outstanding and groundbreaking - it is still brilliant now so many years later.


 
How? Its not unlike most music videos produced in the same era - mini-movie of singer following a story line that fits in with the song featuring some dancers and a few actors! Only difference is that Jacko spend a bit more money on make-up and special effects.


----------



## Abbica (26 Jun 2009)

Do you know what I thought, poor Farrah Fawcett, she won't get recognised at all now for her career etc like she would have if MJ hadn't popped his clogs. He is a bigger story. Same as when Princess Diana and Mother Theresa. Mother Theresa was lost, it is all media manipulation, they control us. They are going to go mad on MJ as it is new entertainment news (so to speak) and I think everybody is sick of readying about Iraq! Iraq isn't really in the paper at all today whereas yesterday......  May set up camp cause we are in for the long haul.


----------



## Caveat (26 Jun 2009)

DeeFox said:


> The Thriller video was outstanding and groundbreaking


 


> The Moonwalk was original wasn't it?


 
Neither of these make him a 'musical genius' though. In fact they have nothing to do with music at all - you are praising a video and a dance.



> There's a reason why Thriller is the best selling album of all time.


 
Not being smart - but what is the reason then? Sales do not equal quality. The soundtrack to _The Bodyguard_ has sold almost 20 million copies more than U2's _The Joshua Tree, _ The Backstreet Boys _Millenium_ has sold more than Pink Floyd's _Dark Side of the Moon_. 

Just examples.




> Ben, Billie Jean, Blame it on the Boogie- these are all very memorable songs.


 


> I don't think there was anyone else quiet like him


 
I agree - I just don't think he was a musical genius - that's all. I'm not Michael bashing here, just commenting on the 'genius' tag.


----------



## Graham_07 (26 Jun 2009)

Paramedic 1: he's going into cardiac arrest, should we start chest compressions?
Paramedic 2: No, we should just beat it...just beat it...beat it!!!


----------



## DrMoriarty (26 Jun 2009)

*Re: Reaction to Jackos passing away.*

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2502773/World-mourns-loss-of-Jacko.html

I was expecting something along the lines of "Wacko Jacko Heart Attacko!!!"


----------



## Caveat (26 Jun 2009)

*Re: Reaction to Jackos passing away.*



DrMoriarty said:


> I was expecting something along the lines of "Wacko Jacko Heart Attacko!!!"


 
Very good!


----------



## Graham_07 (26 Jun 2009)

*Re: Reaction to Jackos passing away.*

What's the difference between Michael Jackson and Alex Ferguson?
Fergie can still play Giggs


----------



## MrMan (26 Jun 2009)

*Re: Reaction to Jackos passing away.*



csirl said:


> I agree - more or less 24hr news coverage is a bit over the top. Yes, it is a big news story and should be in the news bulletins, but it should not be the only story in the news. The Iranian mullahs must be delighted with this - has taken their election fiasco out of the news.


 
True but as opposed to the hysteria that followed the death of Jade i'm famous for being thick Goody, it is acceptable.


----------



## MrMan (26 Jun 2009)

Caveat said:


> I really wouldn't agree with that.
> 
> Not wanting to speak ill of him, but he was a _'pop star'_ in every sense of the phrase IMO. I'm not saying he wasn't talented, but there wasn't really anything absolutely outstanding about any of his work - it was neither particularly innovative, groundbreaking nor original.
> 
> ...


 
Are you saying that being a pop star does not allow one to be regarded as a musical genius? There is alot of snobbery regarding pop music, but in truth most people enjoy pop music.


----------



## Caveat (26 Jun 2009)

MrMan said:


> Are you saying that being a pop star does not allow one to be regarded as a musical genius?



No - which was why I said 'in every sense of the phrase'.  Pop as in popular as well as what is musically regarded as 'pop' and star as in celebrity etc as opposed to musician or artist.

There are plenty of artists that would fall under the pop category that I would regard as much more talented than MJ.  Geniuses even.



> There is alot of snobbery regarding pop music, but in truth most people enjoy pop music.


I agree.

TBH I don't really want to say much more on this myself as the more I post about it the meaner I feel  - and probably appear.

I've nothing against Michael Jackson and I quite liked some of his music. Felt a bit sorry for him too.


----------



## zxcvbnm (26 Jun 2009)

Ah come on - I am not some huge michael jackson fan or anything but the guy was definitely a musical genius. Absolutely no doubt about it.

He wrote some great stuff in fairness to teh guy and contrary to an earlier post by someone he was without a shadow of a doubt innovative and original. 
Unbelievably so in fact.

You've gotta give him that much.


----------



## emaol (26 Jun 2009)

Its a bit appropriate that both Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson died on the same day.
She was into Majors and he was into minors.................(awaits backlash)


----------



## Yoltan (26 Jun 2009)

csirl said:


> How? Its not unlike most music videos produced in the same era - mini-movie of singer following a story line that fits in with the song featuring some dancers and a few actors! Only difference is that Jacko spend a bit more money on make-up and special effects.


 

Do you actually remember the video?? It was so unlike anything at the time.


----------



## Yoltan (26 Jun 2009)

DeeFox said:


> Can't believe I'm defending Michael Jackson, I'm not his biggest fan but I do think that a lot of his songs are timeless and very, very good. The Thriller video was outstanding and groundbreaking - it is still brilliant now so many years later. There's a reason why Thriller is the best selling album of all time. The Moonwalk was original wasn't it? Ben, Billie Jean, Blame it on the Boogie- these are all very memorable songs. I don't think there was anyone else quiet like him. Again, I'm not a huge fan - I just think he deserves recognition as an incredibly talented artist.


 
Anyone that doesn't think that he was a musical genius should go off and listen to the Thriller cd.


----------



## carpedeum (26 Jun 2009)

*Re: Reaction to Jackos passing away.*

Thriller album on a par with Marvin Gaye's work, but, he will always be tainted...a mAnipulator of children? Not quite in Gary Glitter's league, but, still he seems to have taken advantage of innocent kids sacrificed by their dollar chasing parents.


----------



## baldyman27 (27 Jun 2009)

*Re: Reaction to Jackos passing away.*



carpedeum said:


> a mAnipulator of children? Not quite in Gary Glitter's league.


 
Can you be so sure? And, yes, I agree with your observation that dollar-chasing parents saw a golden goose.

People, the media (and not necessarily just the redtops) have sold God-knows-how-many millions of rags and thus made God-knows-how-much money out of so many different stories on which they take completely opposite views depending on the topic and what they deem to be the public perception of that topic. They take the gamble, they sensationalise, idiots feed in, they make money. Mr. Jackson is possibly/probably the epitomy of our (human race) obsessions.

Get over it. A MAN died aged 50. So many more don't hit that age and leave behind much more. Reality, please.


----------



## MandaC (27 Jun 2009)

Have to say the one thing that struck me about watching all the MJ videos etc that have been on the past few days is just how talented and original he really was.  I do think he was a musical genius and whatever else he was, that cant be taken from him.  I think he was one of those people who crossed the line between genius and insanity.

Made me realise how bad pop music is today, where we rely on the likes of X Factor where people are just told - go up there and sing that.  Though people will always say pop music was manufactured - look at The Monkees.


The Jackson's parents obviously have a lot to answer for as all of the Jacksons are as disfunctional as.


----------



## Complainer (27 Jun 2009)

The_Banker said:


> The early fame that came to him at 5 years old was probably a form of child abuse and many people prospered from his genius.


Indeed, I don't think he ever had the chance to grow up. Something like Brittany, in fact.



Sue Ellen said:


> Feel very sorry for the 3 children.


No offence intended, but I'm wondering if they will be better off without him. They might have some chance of a more normal life now, and maybe even might get to go out without wearing masks. Let's hope that whoever gets guardianship (and watch out for the mad rush to get greedy hands on the trust funds) has some common sense.


----------



## Sue Ellen (27 Jun 2009)

Complainer said:


> No offence intended, but I'm wondering if they will be better off without him. They might have some chance of a more normal life now, and maybe even might get to go out without wearing masks. Let's hope that whoever gets guardianship (and watch out for the mad rush to get greedy hands on the trust funds) has some common sense.


 
That was my point really. Either option has its problems.


----------



## S.L.F (27 Jun 2009)

MandaC said:


> The Jackson's parents obviously have a lot to answer for as all of the Jacksons are as disfunctional as.


 
The last I heard is that MJ's kids are being looked after by his parents.


----------

