Micheal Jackson Dead

You can find info all over the web. Just thought I'd post this.Farrah Fawcett died too.

RIP

another death in 3's.

Ed McMahon
Farrah Fawcett
Michael Jackson

And what a contrast of deaths...Ed from old age, Farrah from cancer at 62 and Michael heart attack from addiction to pain killers. What I find disturbing is that the last one seems to be part of a growing pattern of stars taken too soon through their own actions. Fair enough accidental death but still addiction to or use of a drug that impacts health in such a way as to end fatally. Is it just bad luck? I don't know. I am currently reading a biography by Duran Duran's lead guitarist Andy Taylor and ironically it ties in with this subject. I grew up listening to that band and looking up to them. They had an image of affluence but clean living. It has been really disheartening and eye-opening to now find out that they were all alcoholics and cocaine addicts and lucky not to have died (although there have been many close calls). I wonder now about my own children and the band they look up to - the Jonas Brothers, who claim to be Christians who have taken purity vows and are the modern face of Disney. In years to come will we hear stories of them being all a farce too? What effect will that have on the hundreds of thousands of children modeling their behaviours on their idols?

Farrah Fawcett's death was just sad. I remember watching her in Charlie's Angels. Recently I was reading about her struggle with cancer and her choice to make public her battle and treatments. She showed amazing courage until the end.

And Moonie, make that 4 deaths because the week before David Carradine died. I am not sure if there has been a final ruling on whether his death was accidental or foul play, but he is yet another gone suddenly.

Unbelievable...Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger and now Michael Jackson...all up there in pharmaceutical heaven kicking themselves for their avoidable deaths....

Oh yes I know of David's passing away as well, but these 3 in one 4 days!


Will be back for more, later. (to discuss that is)

Yeah agreed - very shocking when they come in such close succession huh?

It's very very sad... add to that 'pharmaceutical' list a very sad one in the 1990's, River Phoenix. Poor Michael, such a tragic life too; he always seemed very fragile. He was such a good-looking young man in the earlier years, until he let his insecurities take over and he started to get all of that plastic surgery. Well I hope that his good friend Princess Diana, and father-in-law he never knew (Elvis Presley), are keeping him company 'over there'. I feel sad most of all for the Jackson family, including his own children.

Crazy about Duran Duran, I think I knew that about John and Andy, but it surprises me to hear that Simon or Roger had substance problems. As for the Jonas Brothers, I remember being shocked years after I liked New Kids on the Block to find out that they entertained groupies and that Joe McIntyre lost his virginity to one!

Just to clarify on the Duran Duran thing - Simon, John and Andy had drug and alcohol problems which John eventually went to rehab for and Andy moved to Ibiza and cleaned up his act. Nick had a drinking problem and minor drugs but not cocaine like the other three. Roger didn't do drugs but suffered exhaustion. The problems led to their reunion coming to an end due to the fractures it caused in their relationships and changes to their personalities (John when sober and clean became overbearing and controlling in the studio as well as hyper-positive; Nick was always a control freak but it got worse as the others fought their personal demons and he took control of their creativity with disastrous results; Andy and Roger were paid less than the other three because they had less time in the band over the years which caused problems: Roger was sick of fighting about it and left, and Andy thought their management and the band's organisation had suffered and decided to get out to be with his family. He suffered a breakdown after his father died and was diagnosed with clinical depression; Simon aparently still drinks smokes and likes to go to clubs. He turned even more narcissistic and despite always being close to Andy, in the end it caused fights between them). While this isn't directly related to the deaths in this thread, it does give a bit of insight into the 80s culture that Michael Jackson was a part of. The 80s were a time of naivete and experimentation. Gem, you mentioned New Kids on the Block and they came in towards the mid to end of the 80s didn't they? Madonna was also a big name of the 80s. Back then the media was less vigilant in reporting their bad habits. These days, they act like stalkers waiting to catching the stars messing up. Duran Duran were all in their late teens when they first encountered hard drugs. NKOTB were all kids too when they began. Even Michael was so young and had to cope with enormous fame and growing up in the public eye. These are not normal situations and back then they were pioneers and there wasn't others to guide them or offer advice on how to survive their fame or adjust to the pressures. The 80s were hedonistic and flamboyant. Michael's everchanging face is a good indication of what peer pressure could do to a person to make them change to fit in. I think what we are seeing with the drugs and drinking and egos and plastic surgery and sex are coping mechanisms. Fair enough not healthy ones, but ways these people tried to ease the effects of their public lifestyles.

Now we have the new breed and they are YOUNG. Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, and before them Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan...ex-mouseketeers who started out sweet and innocent and now look at the trainwrecks the last two have become - Britney is 28 and Lilo only 22. At one point the media were on death watch for Britney with some already with a prepared eulogy ready to go on Brits. That is scary and sad. Miley is 16 and the JoBros are 16, 19 and 21. They are only babies and yet to put their fame into perspective, Miley is being hailed as the new Britney and the Jobros whose career is into it's 4th year have earned US$62 million - Madonna in her entire 30 year career has earned US$63 million. That is an incredible feat. The pressure must be over the top for them. On top of that they come from a Christian background (their Dad is a pastor) and they have chastity vows - but they are involved in the music industry which pretty much has everything they are against going for it: sex, drugs, loose morals, lack of values, no loyalty, etc. I really hope these guys are the change the industry so badly needs. I hope that instead of derision and putdowns they receive support and are a good role model to a generation that already feels scared and lost. They don't preach - they teach through living their example and this is important. The focus is their music as it should be.

I think our kids are so important - they are the adults of tomorrow and the world they inherit is already a mess. Any positive guidance they can get has got to be important. I was a child when Duran Duran and Michael Jackson and Madonna were role models. Looking back now, I feel so disappointed and let down and lied to by their false images. Madonna by the way had a habit of going into the slums in her limo and picking up guys to have sex with in her car before throwing them back out on the streets. I look around at our generation and see how their actions are typical of who we became - we are the throwaway generation who values affluence and trips out of reality on drugs, booze and sex. We value youth and unhealthy, unrealistic size 0 bodies. It is not our idols faults, for they were only a public face to the human condition of the time. I truly hope that the next generation are more Jonas Brothers than Britney Spears. We need a return to love and kindness and simple values. We don't need more River Phoenixs or Anna Nicoles or Michael Jacksons.

Having met many rock stars and their road crews and managers, I know their lives arn't perfect. They are under pressure constantly, are overly critical of themselves, sometimes suffer from exhaustion and substance abuse, sometimes they are at each others throats etc. They can hardly go into public without being recognized and hounded for pictuures and autographs. They may be rich, but they sacrafice a lot too, often their very lives. Very sad to see such creative and talented people die young. I honor the memory of them and treasure their contributions to the world.

Watched the funeral memorial thingy. Wow so touching, beautiful and sad!!

I guess it is hard not to see it or the many specials that are playing on TV. I don't mean to sound insensitive, but I think sometimes it is overkill. I appreciate his creative accomplishments, but what irks me is that Mother Theresa saved many more lives and gave selflessly and did not receive this sort of attention upon her passing. Princess Diana did. I know it isn't a competition, but let's face it - the man sold music and profited hugely from it. Anything humanitarian he did was a poor second. I don't agree with all the media coverage and I actively steer away from watching any of it. I think it sends a poor message about what is important.

It was the same with Elvis. Michael is the Elvis of our time. That is why there is constant coverage and tributes. Michael is the same age as I am. I grew up with his music. I found the funeral/tribute quite touching and my heart went out to the family and friends he left behind. Michael never really had a childhood, was a troubled soul...Still, his light shines and was an inspiration for millions. I won't deny him of that.

Fair enough. I have to wonder what 'real news' we are being distracted from while the airwaves are playing all this stuff about his life. Knowing how the covert forces in this world work, my inner cynic is saying "are they using MJ's passing as a cover to carry out other things undetected". And we all know who runs the media...

I'm a bit ashamed of myself. When Michael Jackson was alive I was one of those people who disliked him openly, maybe even despised him, but now, I actually feel sympathy towards him and the tough life he's lived. It disgusts me a bit that I can't feel like that towards him until he's kicked the bucket, and I feel like a hypocrite.

But at least the guy is at peace now, away from paparazzi, malicious rumors and all that crap the guy had to suffer through. I like to think he's in a better place. I also like to think his spirit can forgive me and all the people like me who looked down on him for no apparent reason when he was alive, only to change our minds like some kind of rotten mercenaries when he died.

Goth, the news never tells us the truth anyway. LOL

Virus, That you wish him peace now is what matters. Don't beat yourself up over past feelings hun.

Thanks, Night. I hope he'd be as forgiving as that.

Yes and that is the problem - we rely on the media to inform us about the world but the information we get isn't accurate. There is so much speculation and mistruth - I doubt we ever get a realistic idea of who a celebrity is, let alone the facts of a situation. I didn't dislike Michael Jackson, I just disagreed with the amount of media coverage.