Confirmed now by numerous sources, pop star and accused child molester Michael Jackson died this afternoon in Los Angeles reportedly at this point of cardiac arrest.
Entertainment site TMZ.com broke the story. Here’s how they’re reporting it.
We’ve just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50.
Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We’re told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.
A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived. A cardiologist at UCLA tells TMZ Jackson died of cardiac arrest.
Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.
We’re told one of the staff members at Jackson’s home called 911.
La Toya ran in the hospital sobbing after Jackson was pronounced dead.
Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince “Blanket” Michael Jackson II.
For those of you wondering why I don’t seem saddened by this news, here’s a reminder of his legacy, post Off The Wall. When it comes to harming children, I have no sympathy, at any point. Ever since he dangled his one little babies over that balcony in Berlin I remained concerned about the fate of those children. That concern has been alleviated by this news.
Harsh? Look, I’m not going to pretend I’m going to lose sleep tonight over his departure. It’s that simple. You want crocodile tears you’ll have to go elsewhere.
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That Hollywood Reporter story says “his death is a tragic blow”. In light of the accusations against Jackson, that’s an interesting choice of words.
Kelly Rowland’s (R&B Singer)Twitter said: “He touched so many” I couldn’t help but laugh
While I have to admit I still like some of his music, I can’t say I feel much solemnity for someone who was as messed up as he was. I understand respect for people who died with problems but probably were not bad people (i.e. Farrah), but I don’t think I’d fault a lack of respect for Jacko.
I bet the Ahole In Chief has more to say about MJ’s death than the whole Iranian situation- and faster. Predictable, pathetic & pantywaisted.
You should hear Shep on Fox… on and on and on.
At one point he says, if this hadn’t happened we would be talking about Farrah Fawcett. I thought, well! what’s stopping you?
I had to turn him off. The wall to wall coverage is ridiculous.
But I do have sympathy for the family, it’s tough to lose a family member no matter who you are.
Just got home a little while ago & flipped on the tv to see the relentless salivation for Michael Jackson on Fox. Guess that means the programming that would have been airing Farrah Fawcett’s life and acknowledging her 3 year battle w/ cancer will get pushed to the back burner – or completely off the stove itself.
I liked ‘Off The Wall’ and earlier work w/ Jackson 5. Beyond that – never got into his work. When the child molestation accusations were being raised & he acknowledged having kids stay for sleepovers in his bed – that was simply sick. What is also sick is the complete worship some still hold for him. Obviously, Shepard Smith is covering this obsessively and thinks we all share in mourning this guy.
Drudge did not even offer a headline for Farrah Fawcett’s passing. But now it reads ‘The King Is Dead’. I’m sure Elvis would appreciate that.
Tink, unfortunately despite his infamy, Jacko is still a bigger name than Fawcett and therefore he’ll get more coverage. Add to that the suddenness of his death, compared to how well-known Farrah’s sickness was. It’s no different from Heath Ledger, Anna Nicole Smith, Princess Di, etc.
I know how celebrities supposedly die in threes, but what’s amazing is how all three recent celebrity deaths (Ed McMahon, Farrah, and Jacko) were of icons. And yes, despite his infamy, Jacko is/was an icon. In a just world, however, Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett would be getting the top headlines.
I have to say I am saddened by this news, although I agree with what Tammy is saying. Let me explain:
I think this wall-to-wall coverage is deserved because of the profound influence that Michael Jackson’s work had on pop culture and entertainment. Artists in hip-hop, pop, R&B and even rock are still imitating things he started. His songs from the 70’s through the 90’s had an “it” factor that everyone is still trying to copy. His music videos & stage performances set the gold standard for that genre. Plus no one could dance like him. For pure entertainment, he was one of my favorites.
But all of that talent went to waste when he spiraled into being disturbed and unstable if not criminal. I know there were factors from his childhood, but I hold him responsible for his actions and say that he was the one who wasted his talent. He should have gotten help as early as he could and should never have had childrn. His life and career could have continued decades longer and when it ended, he could have been remembered as an icon without the condition of being called a sicko.
So RIP Michael the Artist despite the Man.
I remember this cute little black kid named Michael Jackson back in 1969- 71, then over a decade later I see this freak and I wondered “what happened”?
Wow, MJ really took the news about the news about Farrah Fawcett hard.
When I heard the news I immediately thought of his children, and I hoped that they will find some way to freedom and a natural, normal life as children. My second thought was that his death would eclipse the news of Farrah’s death. And my current thought is that I continue to be happy that I unplugged my cable service earlier this year; I am going to miss most of the wall-to-wall coverage of this extremely damaged young man who damaged so many. The cult of celebrity is of devastating consequence to humanity. It has brought us fools, when we need leaders. It is an addiction, a vampire to our culture. Alas, as a kind of cosmic torture, it has brought us our current president (I choke on the phrase and the thought!)
And in other news…apparently nothing else happened today, anywhere.
I think one can still have sympathy for the fact that the man is dead. There are children that now have no parents. Jackson had a tremendous talent that no longer exists in any of these so called singers today.
His life is a cautionary tale of self destruction. The fact that he was able to get away with his behavior, is quite offensive. These are choices he made. The people around him did not call his behavior into question. Or maybe they did and he would not listen!
Again there are children that were in his custody. Who will take care of them? Will there be financial security for these kids considering Jackson’s percarious finances? In all honesty I find it hard to believe he was ever capable of performing again. This whole situation is tragic.
As far as Farrah Fawcett is concerned, It’s sad that Fawcett had to leave this earth knowing her son is in prison on drug charges. Shame on him. Hopefully he’ll get his life in order. Life is too short!!!
Who’s the world’s biggest MJ fan tonight? – Mark Sanford.
Yes, he is dead. Still.
No matter how many people they interview, he still will be dead…but until he is buried, the media will not let us forget him or ‘Thriller’ He was a tremendous talent, but tormented…it always amazes me that the people who look like they have ‘everything’ have nothing…
I agree with you 100%, Tammy. I am unmoved by his death as well. Farrah is one thing, Michael Jackson is another.
Sheperd Smith on FOX went on and on and on and on and on….Geraldo Rivera had less to say than the bully. Can Sheperd Smith please go on and on about the literally scary things said by Obama & Diane Sawyer during the ABC state controlled infomercial about Socialized Medicine?
Tammy, thank you for your brutal honesty. That’s why I am a loyal listener.
Not surprised by his early death. He hasnt been healthy mentally or physically for some time. Yes he had tremendous influence on the music industry but in short he was just a man- a very flawed man. Turns my stomach to see crowds of people standing around the hospital (house, time square, etc) acting like idiots. I bet a lot of those people have little or no interest in what is going on in the world today. I bet a lot of them have family members they dont give a squat about. Sad commentary on our priorities. Too bad we cant channel some of that energy into getting our women journalist out of prison or holding Dinnerjacket accountable for massacring Iranian citizens. Sad when the death of ANY celebrity trumps stories like that.
I agree, TammyChicago. He was just a man. Yes, he was given talent & used it – but he was not superhuman: he was a guy who knew how to market himself as beyond human. The man has not produced any work in years & had he not died, he would have remained a joke basically – at least, in this country.
I’m not at all a heartless person. I don’t wish death on anyone & want people to have happy, productive lives. Though I admire his earlier work & certainly, his showmanship (on the stage) was spot on. But he was clearly a disturbed man on so many levels. I imagine he had to be one of the lonliest souls on earth. What good is it to have all that money, fame, recognition & power if you can’t live a decent or stable life?
From the best article about Jackson that I’ve seen so far, Rabbi Shmuley who tried to help him.
“One cannot read these words without feeling a tremendous sadness for a soul that was so surrounded with hero-worship but remained so utterly alone. Because Michael substituted attention for love he got fans who loved what he did but he never had true compatriots who loved him for who he was. Perhaps this is why, when so many of his inner circle saw him destroying his life with prescription medication – something he used to treat phantom physical illnesses which were really afflictions of the soul – they allowed him to deteriorate and disintegrate rather than throwing the poison in the garbage.”
As a kids in the 80s I was a fan, watched in awe his first moonwalk on tv, attended the Jacksons Victory Tour, was thrilled to be in D.C. on vacation the same time he was visiting Reagan… and I think his parents provided him with absolutely no coping skills, so he embarked on an adult life of self-centered self-destruction.
It’s sad—but I still think saturation coverage is not necessary. I understand extended, but not total wall to wall, 24/7. Every hour would be good enough.
Tink Posted: “You should hear Shep on Fox… on and on and on.
At one point he says, if this hadn’t happened we would be talking about Farrah Fawcett. I thought, well! what’s stopping you?”
Shepard Smith has to be the absolute worst reader/newsguy on FOX. Listen to him try and get through a sentence without a mistake. It will never happen.
And yes, I was hoping for some hard/real news yesterday – not the Idol worship of MJ. As far as I’m concerned MJ died in 1975. Not the monstrosity who replaced him in his later years.
And to those who say MJ was never convicted of any crimes against children all I can say is: OJ and Robert Blake weren’t convicted of the crimes of murdering their wives either but unless I sprout wings and take to the air tomorrow all three were/are as guilty as any who ever walked the Earth. MJ, OJ, and Blake are proof of the falability of our legal system. Sometimes the guilty DO go free.
Regardless of his accomplishments, the man was a degenerate and a pedaphile. You can only spin that so much.
Shep Smith belongs on MSNBC with Olbermann.
With all of the plastic surgery Michael Jackson had had, he looked frightening if not dead already! He’s had so much plastic surgery he should be inducted in the Scariest Monsters Hall of Fame!
As Ripper has pointed out above, he was a very cute little black kid back in the early 70’s. IMHO, after his solo success with Thriller and especially after he began his association with the promoter leech Don King, Jackson lost it and went off of the deep end.
Jackson has made a ton of money in his life yet is reportedly in a ton of debt. What exactly has he left for his children?
While his death was a surprise to me, I feel as Tammy does. I do not have any sympathy for Jackson and have shed no tears. He was a great entertainer back in the 80’s but today was nothing more than a drug addicted, plastic faced, pedophile freak of a “has been.”