R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

The king of pop has just died.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

None of the news websites have confirmed him dead yet. He has gone into cardiac arrest though.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

Yeah, thus far a few (shady) tabloid sites like TMZ have reported that he is dead, but other sources say he is being hospitalized and stopped breathing. I would say this is still pending further sources.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

BBC said they're "Unconfirming Micheal Jackson is dead."


They said he was found in his house unconcious and not breathing.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

Farah Fawcett died today, too.

And Ed Mcmahon earlier in the week.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

yeah seems like celebrity deaths happen in 3s.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

CNN has updated its report on this. They say he was revived before they took him to the hospital.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Musi...son/index.html

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

And now it seems like he is officially dead.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lano...teve-ruda.html

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

Well that sucks

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

Totally unexpected. He was a bit (understatement) of a nut job in his final years, but he put out some dang good music and you can't deny his influence.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

As Dave Chappelle said, He made Thriller

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

He hasn't really been alive since the 80's, so I mean....

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

Here's what I told BaB on AIM:

"It sucks when anybody dies and my heart goes out to Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson's family, but thousands of people die daily and no one cares. I guess our society needs famous celebrity deaths to remind us that life is precious."

It's sort of telling about how we death under the radar when people die from starvation, cancer, etc. daily. If anything, I guess celebrities have become the reminder that life is precious.

Anyway, RIP to Michael and RIP to Farrah and my condolences to their families.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

You been hit by, you been struck by
a failed ventricle

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

Death should be celebrated, not mourned.

I would rather everyone have a rave upon mine -

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

*a million young boys collectively give a sigh of relief*

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

I was completely shocked when I found out. I got a text message in the middle of seeing the new Transformers at a very ominous point of the movie.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

While I never really payed attention to either Michael Jackson or Farrah Fawcett (or Ed McMahon), this response inevitably comes up in every celebrity death thread, and common sense tells me that the reason celebrity deaths are made into such a big deal is because they "touch" the lives of millions slash tens of millions slash hundreds of millions of people.
You know, due to their celebrity.

Sure, little Jimmy might look up to his Aunt Jean, the world-renowned neurosurgeon, and think "I want to be just like her when I grow up!", but tens of thousands of people (if not more) looked up to Michael Jackson and said "I want a child named Blanket when I grow up!".

They grew up being told that someone out there in the world wants to rock with them (all night). And that it doesn't matter if you're black or white.

See what I'm getting at? Influence.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

So you're saying every life that ended today, still doesn't add up to the importance of Michael Jackson?

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

No, not at all.
Edit: By which I mean, that's not at all what I was saying.

Everybody means something to somebody, but some folks mean something to a lot of people. Simple as that.
Taking it further than that turns life into some sort of competition.
And I don't think one's life's importance is something that can really be measured in the first place.

Being a celebrity is like being the popular girl in high school. Just as frivolous, but if the popular girl in high school suddenly goes into cardiac arrest and dies, everybody will soooo totally be talking.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

Deathshand is right here and it makes complete sense. One dead person = One dead person (for example http://www.time.com/time/health/arti...808049,00.html, everyone has the same value of human life), BUT the guy who died today has a record that went 20x platinum. That is a ridiculous amount of people who have heard, enjoyed and were influenced by his music and his presence.

I don't think anyone is sticking up for the idea of celebrity exactly in this case, when there are things like genocide still happening in the world, but to to be aghast that major news networks are covering this and that many people are upset or at least interested in this is pretty damn naive.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

I agree with DeathsHand and Germy...

I guess to further elaborate, I think it is ironic that Western civilization (you and me) spend millions of dollars on celebrities we idol (we buy movies, music, TV, things that aren't necessary for survival) while there are kids starving around the world, thousands who die daily (families making less than 2 dollars a day, walking 5 miles to get dirty water to drink).

Then, when a famous celebrity dies in this country we look at death as a tragic thing, yet every day we brush off the fact that thousands of starving kids die daily, we really just ignore the fact.

If there has ever been a social juxtaposition, this is it.

The underlying lesson here is life is precious, and don't take what you have for granted.

The obvious lesson is celebrities, athletes, politicians, etc. become idols or heroes that transcend family and friend-relationships which is why so many people feel touched and grieve when these famous people pass on. I have been moved by George Carlin and Bernie Mac, for example, which is why I felt very emotionally touched when they passed away.

Life is strange....

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

While i don't think this thread should turn into a discussion of morality in contemporary society, but every society has had celebrity deaths which by nature gather more attention than other deaths. Obviously one can comment on the proliforation of celebrities today, and question the validity of them occupying the public eye, but i think thats perhaps better of in a seperate thread.

Certainly suprised by this, i know he was planning a big comeback tour in the UK. I'm not making any conclusions on the various accusations hes had, but he hasn't done himself any favors in last 5-10 years. Which is a shame because it will likely tarnish his legacy in music. Whatever fans say about him, you can't dangle a baby outside a hotel window and not permanently alter your public perception.

Still, some good music.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

I just can't get into his latest album, Invincible. It's all been done before.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

You guys also have to keep in mind that he grew up from a very young age in the lime light. He touched a looot of people, as Deathshand said.. If you want to talk about the most popular international superstars in history, Mike has to be in the discussion.

Since he's been popular for so long, people watched him grow up, and get more of that feeling of actually knowing him. Even though in his last years he had changed a lot, it didn't matter because people loved him unconditionaly.

I could understand how people in their teens or lower wouldn't have that same connection though. R.I.P Micheal.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

I lol'd.

Anyway, a tragic life his was. He was a child star who became the biggest pop superstar perhaps ever. Then he fell from grace in many very strange ways, but most of all could never regain that initial Thriller glory. And just as he was about to make his comeback, he died mysteriously, perhaps from addiction to prescription drugs. That's tragic. I look forward to the inevitable Hollywood biography movie. RIP.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

That post read like the back of a cereal box.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

Oh, The Onion - never ceases to be tasteless.

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

Did Nostradamus predict Michael Jackson's death?

The boy king who walked backwards is silenced
And the children gather no more around the throne
Tears fall across the territories
And fires will rage thereafter

I think... 1 more point to Nostradamus ;)

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

I just thought of this after looking at this thread again. Classic

Re: R.I.P. Michael Jackson
 

:lol: That was fucking brilliant, I had not seen it before, thanks ZR ;)