The King of Pop is dead!

[Mirëille Sully]

Oh my, now you got me thinking....Who said that "spooky"????? It was in a movie

[Sophy]

I KNOW!?! Which one is it?
Now I will never sleep because I can't stop thinking about stuff like this.

[Mirëille Sully]

OH-OH-OH Isn't it from uhm what's that movie called, with uhmmmm Julia Roberts......*thinking hard*..... YES!!! NOTHING HILL! Doesn't Spike say it??????

[Sophy]

Yes, it sounds veeeery familiar with a sort of brittish accent to it. And I can see like... hands and fingers flippering... hmm... is that a word?
I have too watch Notting Hill to confirm it.

[Amber]

I was shocked too when I heard the news...I used to really love the jackson 5 when I was a kid, and even though Michael got pretty weird in his adulthood, he was, I believe, a musical genius. I can only hope that he truly didn't do some of the things he was initially accused of (he says he didn't), and that he is remembered for his contribution to music. May he rest in peace.

[Icea]

I can't say I was shocked when I found out, more like surprised in a negative way. Even though I can't claim that I'm a fan and am upset by it, I love his music (I've been playing the album "Bad" in my car for the past three weeks) and it just felt really strange that he was gone. He was the sort of person who had always been there, and for him to go when he was just 50 years old was unbelieveable.

[Lizzie]

All the radio stations are playing and everyone's singing Michael Jackson songs.

Originally Posted by Sophy

like Elvis.

That's what I thought too. He must have been one of the most recognised people on the planet (and that surely isn't healthy for anyone, but it happened). There were also several supposed conspiracy theories in the newspaper today. Yeah, ok. Some people were such fans they can't believe it, I suppose. And maybe some can't resist starting rumours

[Sophy]

I bet Jackson's Neverland will stay around for a looong time for public. What do you think?

[Amber]

They are saying that it could become like Graceland (Elvis Presley's old home) in terms of becoming kind of a tourist shrine to Michael Jackson. Apparently, the family was going to have public viewing at Neverland on Friday, but I guess that is off. Such mystery surrounds this whole thing; it will be interesting to see how it all turns out. I'm not even sure if they know where he will ultimately be buried...

[Dr. Slicker]

It was affected in a very negative way when I read about Michael Jackson´s death. I must confess, that I´m not a fan of his music, I never bought an album.
I think, those highly tragic events are always caused by a kind of deep loneliness.
Very catchy for me is the sequence on the balcony, when he holds his baby seemingly inconsiderate and clumsy - for me it´s like a proof, that the civil life with family, childs, going to WalMart for butter and so on was like another universe for him.
I´m not convinced, that the real genius needs to stay somewhat beside "normality", but Michael Jackson was a genius for sure.
May he rest in peace.

[Amber]

I know what you mean about the "balcony" incident, Doc...they have played that scene over and over again since Michael's death, and it gives me the creeps every time. One false move, and that baby could have been over the deck, and into the crowd. I do basically like Michael and his music (even though I have to wonder about his actions and eccentricities at times), but that felt to me to be pretty irresponsible. I know he meant no harm, and loved his children dearly, but, OOOHHH, that balcony thing was scary...

[Mirëille Sully]

Is it very wrong of me when I say that I'm getting a bit sick of all the news about him. Every where you look, listen, read, it's Michael........

[Kahle]

Originally Posted by Mirëille Sully

Is it very wrong of me

No, it's not.
I still read and listen to everything I hear about him... Soo, I'm not sick of it (yet)...

[Amber]

I'm still reading about it too, even though I am kinda tired of it as well...

I'm having trouble imagining how they are going to get all of those people into and around the Staples Center (for the public memorial) in LA on Tues. The tickets are free, so I imagine it is going to be tough. Even more, I wonder how the city/state is going to pay for it. California is nearly bankrupt, and the media here is talking about how the California taxpayers are going to be paying for it whether they get to go or not. Seems to me that, given the state of California's finances, charging some kind of fee would be in order. I don't live in California, so I guess it's not directly my problem, but the whole issue makes me wonder...maybe the Jackson family is helping foot the bill. I don't know...

[Sylvie]

Originally Posted by Mirëille Sully

Is it very wrong of me when I say that I'm getting a bit sick of all the news about him. Every where you look, listen, read, it's Michael........

Same here. I came back from supermarket after my daily shopping sometime after 7pm. I was kinda exhausted after a sudden summer storm + shower made me run because I'd forgotten my umbrella and only wore a t-shirt.

Well. After drying up a bit, I turned on the telly, landed on the couch and started my fav daily sports exercise: moving my right thumb up and down on the CH +/- button...

- Michael Jackson ceremony, live from LA, on TF1 (national private channel).
- Michael Jackson ceremony, live from LA, on France 2 (national public channel).
- Michael Jackson special tribute during the daily news on France 3 (national public channel).
- Something else (YES!!! Incredible, but still true!) on Canal+ (private paying channel, but this time slot is never crypted)
- Michael Jackson special tribute episode of the E! "Hollywood Stories" program on Paris Première (one of our most watched private cable/sat channels).
- Michael Jackson ceremony, live from LA, on M6 (national private channel). However, different from the previously-mentioned: there was a debate with various music journalists, interspersed with the Staples Center bonanza!!!)

Now I'll reveal a few selected comments from my hubby, who came into the living room at this time (Warning: the paragraphs below are shocking and politically + ideologically unsound - so just skip them if you think it may hurt your sensibility):

- "Are we gonna get our 8:00 pm news or what?"
Official reply: NO! The "normal" news started after 8:15 on France 2.

- "I wonder what else could have happened today to top this? A new plane crash?
My reply: are you kidding? That would just be the third crash within a month - no big deal! And we're getting tired of plane crashes, couldn't we have some trains crashing for a change?

- "Barack Obama being assassinated by Vladimir Poutine during his trip to Russia ?"
My reply: Oh, well, possibly... but then, we wouldn't even be aware that WW3 has started!

- "then only a new 9/11 could awake us from that?"
My reply: Oh, now, surely, dearie. But I guess that if and only if we had three planes crashing together, now, on the Staples Centre.

So what? That poor guy's died, and I feel sad for his whole family, especially his three children. I do feel very, very sad for them, because they'll have to deal with the media rambling on and on about "supposedly wrong things our Pa did" during their whole life.

I just wonder why the whole world stopped turning today only because a f**ing funeral - which will surely be released on DVD anyway, with plenty of bonuses and unique interviews of "Michael's friends".

To cut it short: all that wants to make me puke.