Dear Bob,

   That is your opinion about Michael Jackson.  Everyone is entitled to whatever they like.  i personally enjoyed growuing up with Michael.  he was unique in his own way.  i enjoyed his music tremendously and still do.  I loved to see him do his dances.  All I can say is that he mesmerized people with the way he moved.

   Michael never really had a childhood.  He was always in the limelight.  This is why to me he never grew up.  He did not play in the summer like regular people.  he always had to be kept in low profile because his fans would not let him be a regular person.  I guess that is part of being a celebrity.  Some how I think that it was the fans fault for the way he reclused himself from others.  I do not care what anyone says, i loved me some Michael jackson.  I think that he is and always will be a sweetheart.  think what you want and say what you want, that is only your opinion and no body else's.

Who are you to accuse anyone about anything.  Where you there?  No, I do not think so.  Do not defame his character  now that he is gone.  Let him rest in peace.  that is why the world is the way it is today.  if everyone minded their own business we would be a better place.

Buggheart said…

I just wish they'd bury the dude already.

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I agree with that 1000%

I never really liked his music. Never followed his drama. I'm tired of hearing about him. He's dead. Give him a rest.

Someone truly great in the music industry died recently. He got a little snippet in the news and that was it. Most people don't know who he was or what he did. C'est la vie.

MIchael Jackson he may have been a icon but he was definately a freak. He died now let him rest in peace. Because he apparently didn't here on earth he didn't like he was black. He didn't seem to like adult only kids so he was a messed up man who was apparently in alot of pain due to his own making. So give the media to people who really did something for this world.

I do not know if Michael Jackson was guilty or not, no ones knows this but God. No matter, he was still a human being and I feel his family deserve some respect and be able to mourn their lost.

Now that MJ's death was ruled a homicide after a very extensive investigation, we will be hearing much more about him and his death in the weeks to come.

I don't believe he was evil. I believe he was a psychological mess. He was riddled with anxiety, painfully shy, missing the most important years of his childhood and, for him, it was a trauma. He liked to perform but he longed to be "normal" even going so far as to closing a supermarket and hiring people to shop while he did to feel what it was like to just go grocery shopping like a normal person.

He certainly was strange and had some bad habits. Clearly, he had issues sleeping (I mean,if you need anesthesia to sleep, you have issues sleeping!) and with pain. I saw the video of his hair on fire and the skin on his head just boiled off. He had so much pain both physically and emotionally that he buckled under it.

It's just so amazing to me that not one person could help him. The family apparently attempted an intervention once but failed. Michael Jackson should have been under a psychiatrist's care and in therapy for years. Instead, he had people all around him who enabled him to push his emotional pain aside by shooting him up with drugs. One shot for pain, one for energy, an IV for sleep, pills for anxiety....

I guess what saddens me is that he trusted that a doctor would help him to sleep and not kill him. That is why he hired a doctor and didn't just have any ole person give him that stuff.

I believe Michael Jackson did wonderful things for many charities, broke through many stereotypes, and literally invented a whole new way of performing.

So often, the geniuses are troubled and "freakish". He should have had someone there to catch him before he fell the way he did. It wasn't like anyone couldn't see that he was in big trouble in many ways. They just turned their heads.

Ed McMahon was a great guy. I loved him on the Tonight show as did my mom. I hope she got to meet him in heaven along with Johnny Carson, her other fave. He lived a long life and he passed expectedly. I think that's the difference between the two. One was a total shock and the other was expected. Same with Farrah. Although I hated hearing of her death, it was imminent unfortunately.

Now DJ Am has died. A man who cheated death last year by surviving a horrific plane crash somehow couldn't handle that he was only one of two survivors and went back to drugs after being clean for 9 years. That, along with other things in his life, apparently took a huge toll on him. He wasn't that well known but it's just so strange how one can be handed a beautiful second chance at life and then not make the most of it. I don't know if we come with an expiration date or not but it sure seems as though his time was up and he somehow managed to avoid it the first time.

May they ALL RIP.

I agree with Patty. Michael Jackson was in desperate need of help. It is an awful shame that instead of enabling him, those around him didn't help prevent this tragedy. I grew up with Michael's music and for me, he really was the "King of Pop". RIP

DJ Am's death whether it be a suicide or an accidental overdose is just a shocker. He was one of two survivors of a horrible plane crash! He was given a second chance at life! I read that he was suffering from post traumatic stress from the crash. Apparently he was self medicating instead of getting real help. Just senseless and so sad.

I also admired Ed McMahon and hope he rests in peace as I do the others.

You were sad when Elvis died and you weren't surprised when Michael died. Elvis was no different than Michael Jackson, both were very popular and both had drug issues. Yes, he was very talented but he is not a freak. He is a man that had serious issues. Issues he didn't know how to deal with and most everyone around him were eager to please for the money.

Although everyone is entitled to their opinion, I'm appalled at some of the comments I've read or heard (not on this site) about Michael in comparison to Elvis from Elvis fans. Some feel as though Michael is being placed above Elvis. Popularity depends on the fan base and circumstances surrounding a celebrities death dictates how the media will respond.

It's unfortunate that Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett didn't receive the publicity they deserve, but again fan base and what the media may consider a juicy story dictates the level of response. I feel for all the celebrities that have passed and it's sad that most of them were dealing with issues on various levels.  

Elvis was a very talented guy and his untimely death was a shame. I remember he died on my birthday and my mom and I had tickets to see him for our combined birthdays (Her birthday was the 15th, mine was the 16th). I remember, although I was young, how very upset my mother was and how the media responded - very much like they have with Michael Jackson. 

I think Farrah got her goodbye with her documentary. It touched so many lives, mine included. Ed was old and had cancer for a long time. I am sure many people mourned his passing but, let's face it, Michael Jackson was a worldwide phenomena whether people like it or not. There is no one is the world who doesn't know who MJ was. The outpouring of love and grieving continues still. 500 people in the UK choreographed the Thriller dance and preformed it in honor of Michael's birthday which would have been August 29.

I don't think anyone can compare two people. Elvis was a huge influence on the music industry and broke barriers in many ways. He was very loved by his fans. And so was Michael Jackson. Both had drug problems and somewhat checkered pasts but obviously MJ lived a bizarre life forever.

Everyone who passes is missed by someone, loved by someone, and made an impact on someone's life. Celebs happen to make larger impacts because they are visible. How they are mourned is entirely up to their fans. No amount of bashing will stop people who loved and/or appreciated what Michael Jackson did for the music industry from mourning his passing or doing what they can to keep his memory alive. And that's as it should be, in my opinion.

Well said, PattyTherre.

Never liked Michael Jackson, even when he was "normal".  And I never cared for his music, so probably why I had no interest in him.  I think it's ridiculous that famous people get all this attention when they die and every day heroes get a blip on page 3 if they're lucky.

Thank You.

jazzybean01 said…

Never liked Michael Jackson, even when he was "normal".  And I never cared for his music, so probably why I had no interest in him.  I think it's ridiculous that famous people get all this attention when they die and every day heroes get a blip on page 3 if they're lucky.

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I think true heroes do what they do because they are honest, good, wonderful people. They don't do it for recognition or fame. Entertainers do.

I agree that real heroes should be lauded and celebrated, I also believe that their heroism was done out of selflessness and they wouldn't even WANT a big "to do" over them. So many heroes that make it out of whatever situation they are in alive say that they were only doing what came naturally and don't feel they should be celebrated for that. While I DO feel they should be, I think the true heroes of the world get their rewards in other ways.

Entertainers, especially singers for some reason, become part of people's lives and people, I think, feel they know them. They're out there publicly sometimes for decades. I think that is where the media might slip up. They tend to go on and on about entertainers and mention other "everyday people" once or twice then move on.

I just hope that the true heroes of the world know we are indebted to them and grateful for their unselfish acts.

Unfortunately, no one knows exactly what MJ went through. Yes,he was a child star and that stole his childhood as well as his childrens and was not a vet but he contributed to a lot of fundraisers in his spare time. He was well liked and not shy about spreading his love to those close to him. For that he is persecuted but he did not have to worry about what was left unsaid when he died as other people may.

We cannot judge a person until you have walked a mile in his shoes. Do any of you know how painful Lupus is, or chronic pain from burns? This man had constant pain, took meds for it and was called a drug addict, yet he still worked hard to make a difference in this judgemental world for everyone fan or not. I am able to admire his hard work, yet don't condone all his actions. He gave of himself and was not drafted to do so, it was by choice.

We all will miss Ed Mc Mahon but maybe the fact that he was older and lived a full life made it less publicized. I recently moved to CA. and hear more now about all the deaths of public figures and this is definitely the year for them. May they rest in peace.

I grew up loving the Jackson 5, they were one of my very faves...so much so that a few years ago on one of my Texas-roots music radio shows, I broke loose and did one full hour of only the Jackson 5.  Sure my boss was like....what???  But he let me air it and I'm glad he did...that was freeform at it's best.  I don't even remember asking for permission to.  Maybe I did, and I wouldn't have accepted a NO answer.  I'm sure my boss knew that so he kept his mouth shut.  I'm 50 like MJ was.  Yes, as we all know, MJ misused drugs. 

Today when I do listen to MJ, I mostly listen to "Man In The Mirror" because I just love that song so much, even still ~ and when it was released, that's all my son & I listened to when he was young, especially on a train trip we took to New Orleans.  We broke away from my radio and actually listened only to stations that played that song for a long time.  MJ gave alot to the world, he really did.  The world gave to him, but took more from him than they gave, IMHO.

When my son was in my belly, John Lennon was shot.  I truly thought I would go into early labor.  Also, that was the first time my stepdad broke his silence with me via a phone call, knowing how hard it hit me like a brick.   It was widely known that John partook in drugs as well, and didn't really hide the fact.  Not a Beatles fan here, I did always listen to what John Lennon had to say and how he perceived the world.  "I believe in me" ~ and I never cared who he was married to.  I just listened to his words.  Back in the day, ppl were generally either a Beatles or Rolling Stones fan, it was the Stones for me.   Many ppl liked both equally...just sayin'.

Elvis died right around the time I graduated high school and I was shooting my punk rock band photos.  Some people laughed who were around me then, but I didn't.   I remember the legacy he left, regardless of my musical likes or dislikes at the time.  He also used drugs.

I will always miss Ed, after all he was an announcer too, and I always thought he was a mentor to me and folks in the biz with me at the time... both as a radio/TV host, personality and broadcaster.  When I think of Ed, I also think of my dad, who was a USAF officer, Chief MP and pilot.  I wish I knew what my dad thought of Ed.  I was only 7 when he was killed.  I'm sure he really admired Mr. McMahon, at least I get that feeling.

I always loved Farrah Fawcett ~ since our junior high days when all the girls did their hair like hers and all the boys had her poster.  More than that though...not just superficial.   And not just the David Letterman stint where everyone thought she was nuts.   She was very courageous in her final days, and not many of us have that kind of courage. 

I have "Man In The Mirror" on right now on YouTube, and I cannot for the life of me hear it/ see it without dancing...and crying a bit too.  He truly did leave a legacy.

They...like you and I...were all human beings.  Peace out OldHippy & everyone...

I think everyone has a great opinion on celebrities lives as we were only given outrageous things to here about them just to sell magazines and yes i bought into the headlines also! i say live your life the best way see fit. 

Connecting with others is valuable and its easy to be affectionate toward someone who has made a connection to your life whether intentional or not.  If one 'learns' something, gets a positive boost, learns a helpful lesson, identifies in a way that builds confidence from another's work, or art, that's valuable.

Unfortunately there is a lot of ego, narcism, and jealousy in our society and when someone attains success of any kind, someone desires to take it away or downplay it.

At the same time idolizing a celebrity is unhealthy (as is demonizing a celebrity).

I'm hoping that Michael Jackson's movie This Is It comes closer to my hometown.  Right now it is showing in two cities that are about 75 miles from me.  I saw a preview for it the other day when I went to see Fame and the preview was spectacular.  It is also my hopes that the movie will later be released on DVD because I willd definitely add it to my collection.

My Dad always used to tell my siblings and me to never talk about someone who couldn't defend themselves.