|
MAIN
Art
& ... Pop
Culture Pop
Icons
Michael
Jackson
With
a perceived addiction to plastic surgery, and a reputation for
bizarrely eccentric behavior,
Michael Jackson
had been since childhood - and right up until his death on June
25, 2009 - forced to view the world through the prism of show
biz agents, personal managers, and millions of adoring fans.
The
stunningly successful entertainer compared to another tragic pop
icon, Elvis Presley, Jackson was rushed
to UCLA Medical Center in a deep coma on June 25, 2009, and
pronounced
dead from a reported heart attack a short time later.
Autopsy
and funeral arrangements: An autopsy performed Friday, June
26 initially revealed "no foul play" leading to his
death, but news reports filed soon after pointed to Jackson's
doctor, Conrad
Murray, as a possible suspect in negligence charges.
The
official autopsy results were published 2 months later on August
28, ruling Jackson's death a
homicide from "acute propofol poisoning" from an
overdose of the powerful anesthesia that Jackson was reported
to have used as a painkiller and sleep aid.
Official
services for the pop idol took place at the Los Angeles Staples
Center on Tuesday morning on July 7.
Celebrities from the world of music, sports and politics including
Stevie Wonder, Mariah
Carey, Usher,
Lionel Richie, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Martin
Luther King III took part in the Jackson memorial.
Later,
OK! magazine published a controversial cover story on Michael's
final moments under the headline "The Last Photos" depicting
a dying Jackson as he was rushed to LA Medical Center on June
25, 2009, the day of his death.
The
final goodbye to Michael was a private family affair, with his
burial on September 3, 2009 at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale,
CA.
Meanwhile,
Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' documentary film has been confirmed
to be released in the US with a glittering premiere in LA on October
27, 2009 with a global release to follow on October 28. The film
- predicted to be an international blockbuster - shows Jackson
in preparation for his final 'This Is It' tour before his death
in June. Tickets go on sale worldwide on September 27.
The
Early Years ...
Born
Michael Joseph Jackson on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the future King of
Pop was the fifth son of Joe Jackson, who first began organizing his family into
a musical group in 1962. By the time the Jackson
5 issued their debut Motown album in 1969, it was clear that 11-year old Michael
- with impossibly adult dance moves and singing voice to match - was the star
attraction. An
instant sensation, the pop group became the first ever to have their first four
singles (I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save and I'll Be There) hit
number one on the charts. Later, after a brief solo stint that included the hits
Got to Be There and the Oscar nominated theme song, Ben, Michael
rejoined his brothers now simply known as the Jacksons on the Epic label. Michael
again gained notoriety in 1977, starring with Diana Ross in the film musical The
Wiz and the following
year his career took another sudden solo leap when he teamed with producer Quincy
Jones, producing the breakout album Off the Wall that resulted in four
top ten singles.
Thriller
a Career High
Nothing
compared to Jackson's next solo project, however, when Thriller
was released in 1982. It stayed on the charts for over two years, spending
37 weeks at number one, and later became the best-selling album of all time with
practically every track spun off as a hit single including: Beat It, Billy
Jean, The Girl Is Mine (a duet with Paul McCartney), Wanna Be Startin'
Somethin' and the title track which also resulted in an award-winning video.
The spotlight
remained squarely on the pop star throughout the rest of 80's as he helped Lionel
Richie pen the mega-hit, We Are The World in support of African famine
relief - with much attention at the time suddenly given his personal eccentricities,
as well. His apparent though frequently denied bouts of plastic surgery, his Neverland
Ranch filled with amusement park rides, and general reclusivity was just the
beginning of increasingly bizarre behavior that became fodder for major tabloids
worldwide. Despite the negative press, Jackson released his next hit
album, Bad which debuted at number one in 1987, resulting in such hits
as The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror and I Just Can't Stop
Loving You.
The Downward
Slide
And
while many pop stars would have given anything to achieve a success anything near
its equal, Bad was still something of a disappointment compared to the
phenomenal success of Thriller which Jackson never managed to surpass.
He continued to enjoy success through the early '90's with a new album, Dangerous,
spinning off such hits as Black or White, Remember the Time and In the
Closet. In 1993, however, Jackson faced the first of a series of rumors and
allegations of child molestation when charges were brought against him on behalf
of a 13-year old boy and frequent guest at Neverland. The case was later settled
out of court for a rumored $20 million.
In 1995, Jackson also
began to faulter professionally with HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book
I, a two-CD set combining past hits with new material, and the one saving
grace being the hit duet Scream with his younger sister, Janet
Jackson who by that time had become a pop superstar in her own right.
However, as Janet's star continued to rise, Michael's began to fall precipitously
- although he would remain in the news constantly for his behavior both on, and
off, the stage. In
2003, his Neverland
Ranch was extensively searched by police resulting in the arrest of the former
superstar on new charges of child molestation. Neverland was again searched in
December, 2004 for DNA evidence as part of an ongoing investigation.

Michael
Jackson's mugshot, after his arrest on alleged child molestation in 2003 |
In 2005, Jackson
was for months embroiled in the court case, led by a publicity manager and an
army of attorneys, who helped fight 10 charges against the pop star filed by lawyers
for the the Arvizo
family. Charges included that he molested the then 13-year-old Gavin Arizo
in early 2003, gave wine ("Jesus juice") to the child, and conspired
to hold the boy's family captive. On
June 13, 2005 Jackson was exonerated of all charges, with a 'not guilty' verdict
on all ten counts by a Santa Maria, California jury. Since
the trial's end, Jackson has continued to make headlines over his financial troubles,
despite his reported purchase of a palace in the tiny gulf kingdom of Bahrain
where Jackson's brother Jermaine
is close friends with the king's son, Sheik Abdullah bin Hamad al-Khalifa. In
2006, Jackson attempted a major comeback starting with an appearance at the World
Music Awards in London. However, his career continued its downward spiral after
canceling a promised live performance at the London venue. In
September 2007, Jackson was again back in the news for his reported marriage to
Grace Rwaramba, long-time nanny to his two children - Prince Michael, nine and
Paris, eight. The story, which formerly circulated widely in October 2006, was
once again denied by Jackson's management team in 2007 amid wild speculation by
the press.
Although
Jackson has not taken up residence in his famed Neverland Ranch in years, he reportedly
had to pay the $24 million he still owed on the property in 2008. On the block
were Jackson's beloved merry-go-round and locomotive that were later saved when
Jackson cut an 11th-hour deal to keep 2,800 acre estate off the auction block.
By February 2009,
Jackson was again making headlines over rumors of a reported comeback in the works
at London's O2 Arena in July. In the month-long series of appearances, the former
king of pop stood to make $7 million a performance, or just enough to pay off
his debts.
However, the
long-awaited return of the King of Pop was not to be when
weeks before his scheduled concert series in London it
was reported that Michael Jackson had suffered a serious heart
attack on the afternoon of June 25 resulting in the shocking news
of his death just hours later.
More about
Michael Jackson around the Web:
Michael
Jackson News Yahoo!
News - Michael Jackson Complete Coverage
-
Late breaking headlines, news, photos and slideshows from Reuters, AP, BBC and
other top news sources around the Web. Michael
Jackson News -
Breaking news about the pop star from various sources around the Web, from Topix.net.
Smoking
Gun - Inside the Jackson Grand Jury -
The Web site - famous for releasing police reports on the rich
and famous - with almost 2,000 pages of court testimony that led
to Jackson's indictment for child molestation in 2003.
Michael
Jackson, The Entertainer Michael
Jackson.com - The official site hosted by record label Sony featuring
news, the complete discography, career history, photo gallery and short films. MTV.com
- Michael Jackson - Breaking news, biography, discography, photo gallery,
audio and video clips. M-Jackson.com
- The Path to the Future - Fan site for the beleagured pop star with the
latest news and messages of support regarding the court case.. MJSite.com
Michael Jackson - Fan site with a look back at the young Michael and the
Jackson 5, with photo galleries, complete lyrics to the early hits and messageboard. The
HisTory of Michael Jackson's Face - Parody site on the pop legend's plastic
surgery fetish, "with blithering, yet witty commentary." The
Many Faces of Michael Jackson - As he has appeared throughout the years
in public appearances, publicity and candid shots, from BBC News. |