Farrah & Michael. Which death hit you the hardest?

[Janice]

Both deaths are sad and tragic. I'm not asking about their worth or value as people. I think every death in the obituary section of every newspaper is sad. Michael's death was shocking while Farrah's was expected. With that sad. What death hid you the hardest? It was difficult to sort out my emotions on this because they died on the same day. How do you split your grief 50/50? It was surreal. Now that a week or so has passed, I find myself thinking of Michael the most. We were the same age, and it feels like I grew up with him.

His music had different eras to it, in a sense, as did my life. I relate certain times of my life to what Michael was doing musically. Michael's death hit me the hardest. I could cry a river over Farrah though, the poor woman. She had so much time left, or she should have. She didn't want to die. Neither one of them did.

[GeorgeWBushGOP]

Huh? I still haven't come to accept a world without Nipsey Russell!!!

[browneyes106]

I think Farrah's death hit me the hardest. I saw her documentary about a month ago and it reminded me of the relatives I have lost to cancer. Farrah fought a good battle and she is at peace now but I'm still sad by her death.

[Brad Russ]

For me it's Farrah. Just seeing the stories of her struggle, and seeing how strong and brave she was up until the end inspired me to no end. I miss her alot. :(

[Stuck In The '70's]

It's really hard to say. When I was a kid it was all about Farrah. She was on one of my favorite shows and I was just in awe of her. I've followed her through the years. I saw some of the movies she made in the 80's. She really was a great actress. When I found out she was dying, it broke my heart. With Michael, it was different. I grew up with him. Some of my earliest memories were watching him and his brothers on tv. I remember even watching the Jackson 5 cartoon. I loved a lot of their songs. I didn't follow him as much in the 80's when he really hit it big. I was aware of what he was doing and what a phenomenon he was though. During the last 15 years or so I've been tough on him. You can find my old posts on SO to see how tough I was. I always thought though that he was in trouble and I even found a post of mine where I said that I didn't think he'd live to be very old. His death was not a real shock to me but it did hit me in a way I didn't think it could. I just think of that young boy singing with his brothers and looking very happy and I wonder what ever happened to him? His death made me a fan of his all over again. So while I feel real sad about Farrah....and God bless her...I still seem to be thinking of Michael more. I can still see myself siting in front of our tv set watching the Jackson 5. And when I hear young Michael sing on all of these news broadcasts I get real sad.

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

While I was always familiar with Farrah, I wasn't a huge fan or anything as she was kind of before my time. But seeing some of that documentary on her broke my heart and when I heard that she died, I just thought it was so sad. Poor thing. :(

But then when I heard about Michael Jackson, I almost didn't believe it at first. As stressful of a life he led, I just didn't expect it. And now that it's sunk in, I feel this strange connection to him that I never felt before. Before, I just went along with the flow and saw him as that wacky guy and went along with the jokes. Now, all of a sudden, I find myself reading about him, watching documentaries and movies on him every chance I get and finding that I can even relate to him in some ways and feel for him. I used to think it was possible he was guilty of things he was accused of in the past, now I'm almost positive he's not. I used to get a kick out of jokes about him, now I don't find them funny at all. I even argued about him with my dad today to the point of tears because I hate hearing horrible things said about him. It's almost as if his spirit is finally able to show many of us what we were missing before...and I feel so guilty that it took his death for me to see that. His whole life, it breaks my heart now, especially now that I realize what a wonderful person he was. I wish he could have lived to find happiness.

[qwerty]

Definitely Michael. Never watched Charlie's Angels so I never really got into Farrah. Thriller and We are the World probably came out when I was in junior high so Michael had more of an impact on me.

[clj2]

I think I feel the sorriest for poor Billy Mays! :(

Between these two, however, DEFINATELY Farrah. She fought a long, hard, painful and corageous battle for life. She was such a wonderful lady, and went way too young. Was never a MJ fan so while I am sorry he passed, it wasn't upsetting to me.

[Hollow]

with all due respect, farrah's passing didn't phase me. i've only heard her name here and there, and recently, all i heard was reports of her condition getting worse. i know what it's like to watch a loved one losing a cancer battle though, so i can empathize her fans and family.

so michael's death definitely hit me harder. at first i just went into shock, and then i cried when i saw a clip on the news of him singing with the jackson 5. it's still very hard to believe he isn't coming back. it just seemed like he'd be around forever.

i've had the hardest time accepting billy mays's passing though. at first i was sure i'd read the name wrong, then i figured it must have been a different billy mays, then i expected some announcement to come out saying it was just a mistake of some sort, then i tried to summon him on my ouija board. i still really don't feel like we've seen the last of him.

[Courtnee]

Neither....
Billy Mays hit me the hardest.

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll64/rawrheppe/soap.gif

[ZeldaGilroy]

clj2, your post sums up exactly how I feel about it.

Billy Mays was actually the most shocking for me and I feel so bad that he died so suddenly of heart disease he didn't even know he had. :(

Farrah was a beautiful person, inside and out, and while her death was expected it made me sad to lose her. She had a lot of life left to live.

Michael's death was a huge shock, but quite honestly I was never a fan. Even as a kid of the 80s I didn't listen to his music much. I'm sorry he is gone, but it didn't really effect me. I feel bad for his family.

[clj2]

i've had the hardest time accepting billy mays's passing though. at first i was sure i'd read the name wrong, then i figured it must have been a different billy mays, then i expected some announcement to come out saying it was just a mistake of some sort, then i tried to summon him on my ouija board. i still really don't feel like we've seen the last of him.I know, I almost freaked out when I saw that. He was so young and (seemed) to be in good health unlike the others. I don't know why, but his death really made me sad for a while. Still can't believe he's gone :(

[Janice]

The subject of this thread is Farrah and Michael. If someone wants to make a thread about other celebrity deaths, please do so. Thanks.

[EmoJoe]

both are incredibly sad and i feel so sorry for Farrah and i think it's great how strong she was through it all, and i feel so sorry for her... but i have to say Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson was seriously the first musicican i ever liked. the songs Billie Jean, Beat It and Heal the World were the first songs i ever remember liking. you could say he got me into music, and im a huge, huge music fanatic today so that's a really big deal for me. i grew up with his music, i would go around singing it when i was 2 or 3. so, he was a huge influence on me musically.

i always found him sort of odd though, especially after i got older and learned more about him. but after he died and i saw all the stuff about him on TV and read about him and watched/read interviews and everything i realized how wrong i was and ive come to truly like him as a person too. i think he was just totally misunderstood and really was a good-hearted guy. i feel so sorry for him because he was such a talented, nice guy who lived such a hard life, and the world lost an incredible man the day he died... but it makes me happy that he's in a better place now and that people are getting over their "issues" with him and seeing what a great person and huge influence he was.

[littlebelle]

Just check out the avatar and I think you'll get the picture. Honestly, my feelings around their deaths were both very different. Farrah's death hit me the hardest only because I always liked her and had been worried about her struggle with cancer. It's almost like I was praying for her not to die yet. The first thing that I read when I awoke that morning was a text message from friend saying "Farrah died". I was devastated.


As for Michael Jackson, I think he was an extremely talented man and I was inspired the first time I saw him move. His music was timeless, and well deserved the title "The King of Pop".

I just felt sad because I knew the majority of people/media/the world were going to mourn MJ's death far more over Farrah's- and I don't believe that's fair. Just check the magazine racks to see my point. I guess I felt even worse for Farrah because Michael was more famous. One isn't more dead then the other. Don't get me wrong, I was extremely sad and shocked when Michael died, but I just feel a different kind of sad for Farrah.

[Janice]

I don't think they knew this thread was only about Michael and Farrah. You
should have specified that.
It's the name of the thread, and I specified it in my first post. This is the last post on this please. I'm not looking to offend. I'm asking about two legends. You didn't even post an answer, just playing thread cop.

[Brad Russ]

I don't think they knew this thread was only about Michael and Farrah. You
should have specified that.

How can you get anymore specific than "Farrah & Michael. Which death hit you the hardest"? :confused:

Anyway, even though Farrah's death hit me harder, Michael Jackson's is having more and more of an impact on me as time goes by. At first I didn't really think much, but as the days have gone on, and as I've seen the coverage, and listened to my favorite Jackson songs over and over again, the fact that we'll never see him again has really hit me. I will truly miss the guy, and my hope for him is that he gets what he never got on earth, a chance to finally be at peace.

[Tootie]

Michael Jackson. I had to take an anxiety pill because I was in shock.

[Schmoopie]

Well, Michael's was definitely unexpected. Farrah's sadly wasn't. However I'm sorry that she wasn't able to recover from this terrible illness. It's sad that she was taken away so young. But in answer to the question, I'm going to go with Michael, simply because I was never really a fan of Farrah's, but I was a big Michael Jackson fan in the 80's when Thriller was relased. I had that album and listened to it so much that I had every song memorized.

[Janice]

How can you get anymore specific than "Farrah & Michael. Which death hit you the hardest"? :confused:

Anyway, even though Farrah's death hit me harder, Michael Jackson's is having more and more of an impact on me as time goes by. At first I didn't really think much, but as the days have gone on, and as I've seen the coverage, and listened to my favorite Jackson songs over and over again, the fact that we'll never see him again has really hit me. I will truly miss the guy, and my hope for him is that he gets what he never got on earth, a chance to finally be at peace.
Don't you find that the way Farrah and Michael died on the same day complicated the grieving process? If they died a month apart, it would have been easier on the heart and mind. I wasn't going to use this as an example, but here goes. On September 7, 2003, my sister died suddenly. It was a Sunday. I was devastated beyond words since I had lost my parents the previous year. The wake was that Thursday. That day, I woke up to the news that John Ritter had died. I was a lifelong fan of John. I watched Three's Company during its original run.

So, here I was, four days into grieving my sister, and John Ritter died on the day of her wake. I felt so sad about John, yet felt guilty for feeling sad. I felt it was disrespectful towards my sister. The following week, I told a friend what was I was going through. I mean, John Ritter's death didn't touch my sister's death in terms of what hurt the most; however his death did bother me a great deal. Still, the guilt. My friend used the analogy of 9/11. He said, for example, to imagine someone whose parent died that day, from cancer. That person was capable of feeling sorrow for both sad events. The heart can hold many emotions at once, including grief. Boy, it's late. Sometimes I just wander into certain territory that I shouldn't. I'm sorry.

[Schmoopie]

Don't you find that the way Farrah and Michael died on the same day complicated the grieving process? If they died a month apart, it would have been easier on the heart and mind. I wasn't going to use this as an example, but here goes. On September 7, 2003, my sister died suddenly. It was a Sunday. I was devastated beyond words since I had lost my parents the previous year. The wake was that Thursday. That day, I woke up to the news that John Ritter had died. I was a lifelong fan of John. I watched Three's Company during its original run.

So, here I was, four days into grieving my sister, and John Ritter died on the day of her wake. I felt so sad about John, yet felt guilty for feeling sad. I felt it was disrespectful towards my sister. The following week, I told a friend what was I was going through. I mean, John Ritter's death didn't touch my sister's death in terms of what hurt the most; however his death did bother me a great deal. Still, the guilt. My friend used the analogy of 9/11. He said, for example, to imagine someone whose parent died that day, from cancer. That person was capable of feeling sorrow for both sad events. The heart can hold many emotions at once, including grief. Boy, it's late. Sometimes I just wander into certain territory that I shouldn't. I'm sorry.

That was beautiful, Janice. That must have been hard, dealing with the loss of your sister (I'm sorry to hear that, by the way), and then hearing about John Ritter. His death really shocked me, but I can see how it would be really hard, trying to "decide" who to grieve over and feeling guilty for not knowing which one is "right". How awful that you lost your parents the year before as well. I'm so sorry to hear about all this. I'm sure it's still difficult for you.

:bighug: to you.

Andrea

[Brad Russ]

Don't you find that the way Farrah and Michael died on the same day complicated the grieving process? If they died a month apart, it would have been easier on the heart and mind. I wasn't going to use this as an example, but here goes. On September 7, 2003, my sister died suddenly. It was a Sunday. I was devastated beyond words since I had lost my parents the previous year. The wake was that Thursday. That day, I woke up to the news that John Ritter had died. I was a lifelong fan of John. I watched Three's Company during its original run.

So, here I was, four days into grieving my sister, and John Ritter died on the day of her wake. I felt so sad about John, yet felt guilty for feeling sad. I felt it was disrespectful towards my sister. The following week, I told a friend what was I was going through. I mean, John Ritter's death didn't touch my sister's death in terms of what hurt the most; however his death did bother me a great deal. Still, the guilt. My friend used the analogy of 9/11. He said, for example, to imagine someone whose parent died that day, from cancer. That person was capable of feeling sorrow for both sad events. The heart can hold many emotions at once, including grief. Boy, it's late. Sometimes I just wander into certain territory that I shouldn't. I'm sorry.

I actually did have feelings similar to that. I was just really confused when I heard the news, and actually felt bad that Farrah's death initially hit me so much harder than Michael's. I kind of felt like a bad person, like I should be grieving both deaths equally, but than I realized that our emotions are what they are, and you can't change it. I do find it odd how initially Michael's death didn't really impact me, and now it really does. Like I said, watching the coverage, hearing past interviews, and listening to his songs has made me realize what an amazing talent we truly lost. I wasn't around obviously when Elvis died, but Michael's death is kind of this generations version of that. I feel like someone truly amazing and unique died, and I can imagine that it feels similar to what people felt when Elvis died. Both were just out of the blue, and so totally unexpected.

I know about how your sister died just a few days before John Ritter's, but even when I hear the story now, it impacts me just as much as when you first told me. :( I know you felt guilty feeling bad about John Ritter's death, while grieving over your sister. But I don't think you should ever feel bad about it. Obviously your sister dying was a much bigger loss, but feeling bad about John Ritter just shows me that you have a big heart. That's all it does. I know I've told you this before, but I am so very sorry about all the losses you've had in your life. :( Nobody deserves to go through all that. Just know that your mother, father, and sister are probably watching over you, and I know they're proud of the amazing woman you are. God Bless You my friend!!! :hug:

[Jessica]

It's sad that both of them died, but I haven't really watched Charlie's Angels so I must say Michael. Who would ever thought that whould happen. :eek:
He was one of my favorite singers.

[Hollywood Rock Chic]

Even though I love Farrah Fawcett, and I am a fan of Charlie's Angels. Michael Jackson's death hit me the hardest, because it was unexpected...

[eltonfan80]

michael 's death hit me the hardest i was so upset

[Chocoholic]

Celebrity deaths don't seem to hit me all that hard. I feel for their loved ones, but I feel that way for everybody.

[Jack Gomez]

Farrah's death hit me much much harder. My mom had cancer a few years ago and suffered the same way Farrah did. My mom died early July of 2006 and it's kind of eerie that Farrah died late June so close to when my mom passed. I saw clips of her documentary but I couldn't bring myself to watch it because it was just too painful.

[catlover79]

Farrah - mainly because of the TV special. That was so personal, I felt like I knew her.

[Jessica]

I read today on the cover of a magazine Michael knew he was gonna die. He had wrote a letter to his children.

[sunshinefizzy]

As much as I liked Farrah, I knew her number was coming up. Michael on the other hand, that crap really makes you think about your own mortality in the sense that you just never know.

[James"Thunder"Early]

I was really sad about both, but Michael's hit me hardest because it was so sudden and unexpected. Overall, it was hard hearing about two icons dying in one day.

[InspectorExstead]

Both Michael and Farrah passing away were sad. However, I think Michael's death was the most surreal. It was just so sudden and out of the blue. I remember I heard he was being rushed to UCLA Medical Center and an hour later he was pronounced dead. It didn't make sense because I hadn't heard about any health problems he had. It was pretty sudden.

Also, I grew up with Michael and have so many memories of my childhood because of him. My cousins and I were obsessed with him in the early 90s and we tried to do all of his dance moves. He was amazing and his videos were not even music videos, more like movies. I felt like I really grew up with more so than Farrah, which made his death even more shocking to me.

[Shine]

I was probably most shocked by the death of Michael Jackson because I didn't expect it to happen. Farrah had been sick and I think we all kind of saw her death coming. Though I thought she might pull through in the end.

On a personal level, I was saddened by the death of two fellow human beings, but I was not a fan of either one of them. Farrah was a little before my time. If it wasn't for seeing that famous poster of her in such 70's movies as Saturday Night Fever and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, I may not have really have ever known who she was.

The only Michael Jackson album that I have is Thriller and I like a couple of songs on that. However, overall I was not a fan of either him or his music. Michael was a very odd man, and quite probably a child molester. I think his death has been given way too much coverage in the media. I think it is okay to honor his music, but I don't think Michael himself should be honored.

Still, Michael and Farrah were huamn beings, and I hate to hear about the passing of any human being.

[EmoJoe]

^wow at "he was quite probably a child molestor".

and your proof is...?

i don't mean to start trouble but i always find it funny when people claim he was a child molester when there was literally no proof at all of anything like that ever occurring. "being weird" isn't substantial proof. and anyone who knows anything about him probably knows *why* he was so eccentric and weird, and it wasn't because he was a child molester.

[Shine]

^wow at "he was quite probably a child molestor".

and your proof is...?

i don't mean to start trouble but i always find it funny when people claim he was a child molester when there was literally no proof at all of anything like that ever occurring. "being weird" isn't substantial proof. and anyone who knows anything about him probably knows *why* he was so eccentric and weird, and it wasn't because he was a child molester.

When I was in high school Michael was accused of molesting a young boy and he paid the parents off to drop the charges. Since I was not involved in the case, I don't have proof. I would love to be wrong about this. However, it is generally believed that this is what happened. I've read that one of Jackson's biographers, Christopher Sanford (a very repected writer), believes himself that this is what took place. Again, I would love to believe that this never happened and that this young boy was never molested.

Michael was "eccentric and weird" because of his own childhood abuse at the the hands of his father. I'm well aware of this. It is also a psychological fact that abused children grow up to be abusive adults.

[EmoJoe]

When I was in high school Michael was accused of molesting a young boy and he paid the parents off to drop the charges. Since I was not involved in the case, I don't have proof. I would love to be wrong about this. However, it is generally believed that this is what happened. I've read that one of Jackson's biographers, Christopher Sanford (a very repected writer), believes himself that this is what took place. Again, I would love to believe that this never happened and that this young boy was never molested.

Michael was "eccentric and weird" because of his own childhood abuse at the the hands of his father. I'm well aware of this. It is also a psychological fact that abused children grow up to be abusive adults.
im well aware of everything that happened but there was never any substantial proof that he molested anyone, everything was hearsay. as for the money thing...honestly if their kid was molested i dont think they wouldve taken the money and been pleased, they wouldve wanted the person who molested their kid to be brought to justice. in both cases all the parents accusing him wanted was money.

[Janice]

I never thought Michael was a child molester. Many famous innocent people settle to avoid a long, costly and public trial. I think Michael was weird, yet I think he was asexual. He didn't have a childhood, and his father was a nasty control freak. Michael was aquitted at his trial. Some stars came forward and stated they slept at Michael's home and nothing happened. I think people will always have their opinions. I'm in the 'he's innocent' camp. With Neverland and all that, Michael was a sitting duck for sexusal accusations. He should have been smarter, perhaps hire law enforcement as chaperones or something along those lines.

[Shine]

im well aware of everything that happened but there was never any substantial proof that he molested anyone, everything was hearsay. as for the money thing...honestly if their kid was molested i dont think they wouldve taken the money and been pleased, they wouldve wanted the person who molested their kid to be brought to justice. in both cases all the parents accusing him wanted was money.


That's always possible too. I tend to doubt it though. The last time Michael was accused of molesting a child, didn't he leave the country? Those aren't the actions of an innocent man. The following week he released a CD of his number one hits, which sold very poorly, indicating that the public thought he was guilty.

I know Michael had a huge impact on popualr culture and music and even thought I'm not a fan, I don't want to take that away from him. I think people right now should be honoring his musical legacy. However, I don't think the media should be honoring the man. Even if he wasn't a child molester, he was far from being a good role model.

[clj2]

I was probably most shocked by the death of Michael Jackson because I didn't expect it to happen. Farrah had been sick and I think we all kind of saw her death coming. Though I thought she might pull through in the end.

On a personal level, I was saddened by the death of two fellow human beings, but I was not a fan of either one of them. Farrah was a little before my time. If it wasn't for seeing that famous poster of her in such 70's movies as Saturday Night Fever and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, I may not have really have ever known who she was.

The only Michael Jackson album that I have is Thriller and I like a couple of songs on that. However, overall I was not a fan of either him or his music. Michael was a very odd man, and quite probably a child molester. I thinh his death has been given way too much coverage in the media. I think it is okay to honor his music, but I don't think Michael himself should be honored.

Still, Michael and Farrah were huamn beings, and I hate to hear about the passing of any human being.I totally agree with your statement that I marked in bold. I never chose to express my opinion on this site about Michael Jackson, but I will pipe in here and say that I honestly think that molestation (that you mentioned in a later post) took place, and given Michael's behavior and life, I honestly am not surprised, nor would I doubt, that that type of action took place. I have huge issue with the fact that he said in an interview once that he thought it was okay to sleep with boys (or something along that line). Huh? There is my say, I won't change my mind on this one. No offense to those who disagree, but I'm not getting in to anything over it. Just file me under the 'likely not innocent' category.

Michael should be honored for his contribution to the music industry (which I feel is extrordinary, even though I don't care for his music), but his personal life ... at this point, I say let it rest. I am sick of hearing about it. There are much more important issues that the media should be covering. He was, unarguably, a very troubled man. I am sorry he passed, and I think he should just be left alone and be allowed to rest in the peace that he apparently never had, or was able to find.

[Darren J.]

Neither one. No disrespect for Farrah, but up until about 2 months ago, I never heard of her. As for MJ, I consider him to be a pedophile.

[Jonathan]

That's always possible too. I tend to doubt it though. The last time Michael was accused of molesting a child, didn't he leave the country? Those aren't the actions of an innocent man. The following week he released a CD of his number one hits, which sold very poorly, indicating that the public thought he was guilty.

To answer the question, Michael. Although sad and tragic, Farrah's was expected, but this came out of nowhere. I was torn, and I wasn't even a big fan, at that time. I couldn't believe it. I've since began listening to his music, and I realize how he helped transform the industry into what it is today. He truly laid the foundation, in several ways.

This is in response to the bolded section. I have to say, I think those are the actions of an innocent man tired of the ***** he'd been put through. Michael was such a very generous person. He befriended sick children, paid their medical bills. I recently read that he had set it up so that many children could receive their treatments at Neverland. I think he did it out of the goodness of his heart. He was such an easy target. Would you stay in a country that had those kinds of memories for you? He needed a fresh start, to clear his mind. Obviously that didn't help. We have NO idea what occured at Neverland Ranch, but I choose to believe Jackson was innocent.

[Janice]

That's always possible too. I tend to doubt it though. The last time Michael was accused of molesting a child, didn't he leave the country? Those aren't the actions of an innocent man. The following week he released a CD of his number one hits, which sold very poorly, indicating that the public thought he was guilty.

I know Michael had a huge impact on popualr culture and music and even thought I'm not a fan, I don't want to take that away from him. I think people right now should be honoring his musical legacy. However, I don't think the media should be honoring the man. Even if he wasn't a child molester, he was far from being a good role model.
To say a Michael, the man, should not be honored is to me, close minded. He was never convicted of anything. Leaving the country for a while, is not unusual. Michael was fragile. He probably needed a break. That family accused Michael of holding them all hostage. It was a joke.
Leaving the county wouldn't benefit him if he was guilty. Was he doing it so he wouldn't run into the public at Starbucks? He never had to leave Neverland. Not having a hit CD indicates that the public thought he was guilty? Says who? Many artists have albums that sell poorly. Maybe he wasn't a role model, but he made a lot of children happy with Neverland. He did a lot for charity. Michael is adored by millions. I can think of a few deceased revered musicians who probably shouldn't be idolized. John Lennon for one. We've been through this before. Great to his second family. One little problem, he had a first family that he threw under the bus. Now there's someone who I don't think should be honored. The shabby way John treated his his first son is a fact. It's all allegations with Michael. People idolized Michael Jackson. People idolize John Lennon. It's a matter of personal choice. Then's there's people who are alive. Bill Clinton settled with a few women. We know his misdeeds. Should he not be honored. Slippery slope when you start judging because some of your idols don't meet your own criteria.

[Jonathan]

honestly if their kid was molested i dont think they wouldve taken the money and been pleased, they wouldve wanted the person who molested their kid to be brought to justice. in both cases all the parents accusing him wanted was money.

Agreed. They shut up after they received those millions of dollars.

[Jonathan]

Also Mike, apparently Jordan Chandler, from the 1993 case, has stated his father told him to lie. Do some Googling. There's tons of articles. I believe it. They needed easy money. They got it from Michael.

[EmoJoe]

To say a Michael, the man, should not be honored is to me, close minded. He was never convicted of anything. Leaving the country for a while, is not unusual. Michael was fragile. He probably needed a break. That family accused Michael of holding them all hostage. It was a joke.
Leaving the county wouldn't benefit him if he was guilty. Was he doing it so he wouldn't run into the public at Starbucks? He never had to leave Neverland. Not having a hit CD indicates that the public thought he was guilty? Says who? Many artists have albums that sell poorly. Maybe he wasn't a role model, but he made a lot of children happy with Neverland. He did a lot for charity. Michael is adored by millions. I can think of a few deceased revered musicians who probably shouldn't be idolized. John Lennon for one. We've been through this before. Great to his second family. One little problem, he had a first family that he threw under the bus. Now there's someone who I don't think should be honored. The shabby way John treated his his first son is a fact. It's all allegations with Michael. People idolized Michael Jackson. People idolize John Lennon. It's a matter of personal choice. Then's there's people who are alive. Bill Clinton settled with a few women. We know his misdeeds. Should he not be honored. Slippery slope when you start judging because some of your idols don't meet the your own criteria.
i agree completely. how does leaving the country automatically make him guilty? he had become a national joke at that point, he had been attacked by the media and by a good amount of the general public too - would YOU want to stay in the country if you were under those circumstances? no, we'll never know for sure what happened but people act as if there's all this proof that he did molest those kids. there is no proof at all, aside from hearsay and rumors. i agree that he was asexual honestly and considering how much he cared about kids and all he did for them, why would he molest them? doesn't make sense.

[PZelda]

To answer the question, Michael. Although sad and tragic,Farrah's was expected, but this came out of nowhere. I was torn, and I wasn't even a fan. I couldn't believe it. I've since began listening to his music, and I realize how he helped transform the industry into what it is today. He truly laid the foundation, in several ways.

This is in response to the bolded section. I have to say, I think those are the actions of an innocent man tired of the ***** he'd been put through. Michael was such a very generous person. He befriended sick children, paid their medical bills. I recently read that he had set it up so that many children could receive their treatments at Neverland. I think he did it out of the goodness of his heart. He was such an easy target. Would you stay in a country that had those kinds of memories for you? He needed a fresh start, to clear his mind. Obviously that didn't help. We have NO idea what occured at Neverland Ranch, but I choose to believe Jackson was innocent.

THIS THIS THIS THIS.

You guys have GOT to see this article. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/03/earlyshow/leisure/celebspot/main5131656.shtml - Ryan White's Mother Remembers Michael Jackson.

Unless you've been living under a rock or have never heard of AIDS, you would know that Ryan was one of the faces in AIDS awareness back when it was a newly-discovered disease in the 1980s. Ryan and MJ were great friends. Watch the video that's included with the article, too. The picture of Ryan with MJ (the one of him with the hat and no sunglasses) is included in Ryan's book, but the other one of MJ in plaid is not in the book.

All along, I felt he was innocent. But I was a total sheep and went along with what other people were saying about him. I feel horrible for that now. :o

[Jonathan]

THIS THIS THIS THIS.

You guys have GOT to see this article. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/07/03/earlyshow/leisure/celebspot/main5131656.shtml - Ryan White's Mother Remembers Michael Jackson.

Unless you've been living under a rock or have never heard of AIDS, you would know that Ryan was one of the faces in AIDS awareness back when it was a newly-discovered disease in the 1980s. Ryan and MJ were great friends. Watch the video that's included with the article, too. The picture of Ryan with MJ (the one of him with the hat and no sunglasses) is included in Ryan's book, but the other one of MJ in plaid is not in the book.

All along, I felt he was innocent. But I was a total sheep and went along with what other people were saying about him. I feel horrible for that now. :o

Thank you so much for posting this. That is what I picture Michael to have been like. I've heard of Ryan White, but had never really read up on him or anything, but it's truly nice to read that article, and hear his mother praise Michael. I feel bad for giving into the speculation in the past, but in my heart, I've always felt he was innocent. Creeps still making jokes about him. Rush Limbaugh pulled a good one the other day. Let him REST IN PEACE.

[Hollow]

im well aware of everything that happened but there was never any substantial proof that he molested anyone, everything was hearsay. as for the money thing...honestly if their kid was molested i dont think they wouldve taken the money and been pleased, they wouldve wanted the person who molested their kid to be brought to justice. in both cases all the parents accusing him wanted was money.
exactly! here's a quote from the kid's father: "If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever...Michael's career will be over." they were after his money and they got it, so there was no longer a need to bring on the case. if my child were molested and the sicko bribed me to get out of legal consequences, i sure as hell wouldn't just have taken it and been on my merry way. on the other hand, if i were facing false accusations and it took bribery to shut the liars up, i'd do it.

the 2005 case was the biggest load of crap ever. there's no doubt that family wanted his money, and took advantage of his past accusations to make their molestation claims seem more realistic. kids can be brainwashed too. if a child gets endlessly interrogated about an event that never happened (such as the molestation here), they can begin recalling imaginary events.

i can't outright say he never did it, of course, as i wasn't exactly joined with him at the hip, but i really don't think there's any reason to hold these accusations against him. they were just too weak and obvious.

[Courtnee]

I bought a Micheal Jackson album today.
Target was almost sold out. :o I got the last one.

[catlover79]

I bought a Micheal Jackson album today.
Target was almost sold out. :o I got the last one.
Which one did you get?

[Courtnee]

Which one did you get?
Off The Wall.

[catlover79]

Off The Wall.
I love that album!! I personally think it's even better than Thriller, but to each his own. :cool:

[Janice]

Off The Wall.
I love that one. That's my second favorite, after Thriller. :)

[PunkyP0WER]

I don't think Michael Jackson was guilty either. I think he was tried and convicted by the media and the court of public opinion and it ended up destroying an innocent man.

His accusers all had questionable motives and the media sensationilized the story, spinning the facts just to make the all mighty dollar. Yes, Michael was eccentric and sometimes acted bizarre. But that does not make him guilty. Who are we to judge someone? I'm all for childrens safety but this has become a society full of alarmists. We're so full of negativity, we can't see anything in an innocent light anymore.

For example, there was a poster on 'The Miracle On 34th Street' imdb board that objected to the scene where John Payne and Natalie Wood are alone in his apartment watching the parade together!




I just watched a program last night called 'Witch Hunt'. It was a documentary about 2 sets of parents and 2 single dads from Bakersfield, CA that were charged with molesting their own children.They were accused of committing all kinds of unspeakable sex acts on the kids and the kids even testified to the abuse. These parents were each sentenced to hundred of years in prison, but when the kids grew up, almost all came forward and said they lied about it all.

[Shine]

Did I open up a can of worms or what? :o

[Tweety]

...His accusers all had questionable motives..../QUOTE]

Perhaps Jackson's motives are the ones that are questionable.... I think people have the right to question the motives of a 30-something or 40-something year old man who sleeps with young children.



[QUOTE=PunkyP0WER]...Yes, Michael was eccentric and sometimes acted bizarre.....

Sometimes?? :)





...Who are we to judge someone?....

People judge other people all the time. It's only when someone we like or admire is "judged" that we become offended.




...For example, there was a poster on 'The Miracle On 34th Street' imdb board that objected to the scene where John Payne and Natalie Wood are alone in his apartment watching the parade together!

If someone objects to that scene, they're just really trying to make something out of nothing. Besides, if anything improper happened, it would have been caught on film!

If Payne would have come out and talked about how there's nothing wrong with a guy his age sleeping with a girl Natalie Wood's age, that would have been a definite red flag!

Of course, Jackson wasn't talking about simply watching a parade with his young male friends... he talked about sleeping with them as though it were the most natural thing in the world.




...I just watched a program last night called 'Witch Hunt'. It was a documentary about 2 sets of parents and 2 single dads from Bakersfield, CA that were charged with molesting their own children.They were accused of committing all kinds of unspeakable sex acts on the kids and the kids even testified to the abuse. These parents were each sentenced to hundred of years in prison, but when the kids grew up, almost all came forward and said they lied about it all.

It's sad when that happens, but it doesn't mean that every kid who accuses Jackson (or anyone) of doing something improper is autmatically lying.

Anyway, it's up to God to sort it out now. We can be confident that He won't be swayed by album sales or record-setting videos.

[Janice]

it doesn't mean that every kid who accuses Jackson (or anyone) of doing something improper is autmatically lying.
Doesn't meant they're telling the truth either. People go after deep pockets. Michael was weird, no doubt about it. His sleeping arrangements prove that. I honestly believe that in Michael's naive child-like mind, that to him it was one big pajama party. He was a kid at heart, or an adult who never grew up. I'm not excusing it or saying it's okay. It was wrong. I just don't don't think it was sexually motivated. Of all the kids who went to Neverland, two made accusations. Neither were credible. Everyone defended him. Read up on it. Jackson was sandbagged, almost anyway.

[catlover79]

Doesn't meant they're telling the truth either. People go after deep pockets. Michael was weird, no doubt about it. His sleeping arrangements prove that. I honestly believe that in Michael's naive child-like mind, that to him it was one big pajama party. He was a kid at heart, or an adult who never grew up. I'm not excusing it or saying it's okay. It was wrong. I just don't don't think it was sexually motivated. Of all the kids who went to Neverland, two made accusations. Neither were credible. Everyone defended him. Read up on it. Jackson was sandbagged, almost anyway.
I tend to agree. I think that Michael was asexual myself. Having said that, after the mess in 1993 he should never have had boys sleep over again. I think had he done that, the whole mess from 2003-05 could easily have been avoided.

[andress_jade]

It wasn't just boys who stayed over, there were girls too. If you watch the interview he and Lisa Marie had, it will say he had girls there too. It just makes me mad that everyone assumes it was just boys when it wasn't. Granted, he probably shouldn't have kids in his bed but there is nothing sexual going on with them. They watch television and eat popcorn or have pillow fights.
Michael wasn't as wierd as the media made him out to be. He was different yes, but by no means strange or wierd. You need to understand that he had been on stage since the age of 5, he never had a childhood. So what you might consider strange is normal for him. He was reliving his childhood by being around children and having the mind of a child. I don't see anything wrong with that. He wasn't hurting anyone and he made children happy. He didn't have one evil bone in his body. He had a child like heart and an innocent soul. He was a dreamer and a loved to have fun. He related to children better because all the adults he had ever been around had betrayed him. Can't say I blame him. I would have loved to have been one of the children to visit his Neverland Ranch and hang out and have fun.
There were millions of kids that hung out there since the 80's and only two stepped forward? Please. There were even thousands of others who visited the ranch that were questioned and said that Michael never did anything to them. It was all innocent. The parents of the two different boys just wanted money. It was blatantly obvious that they used Michael's friendship and kindness to their advantage.
Michael was never a pedophile. He was a music legend and a gentle soul. He didn't deserve to die so young. He was too good for this world and we didn't deserve him. :(
What this world did to him was horrible. We made him who he was, we took from him until there was nothing left. The world loved him but at the same time it was full of hate. The world betrayed him. As much as I miss him and loved him and always will, he is in a much better place. He is out of pain and in Heaven with God at peace. Now that he is gone he needs the respect that he didn't get while he was on earth. That's the least anyone can do. Respect the dead and remember him fondly. :)

Go to this link and tell me if you still think Michael was guilty?
www.surftofind.com/jackson

[PunkyP0WER]

Did I open up a can of worms or what? :o
You're such a trouble maker, Mike! See what you started? :mad: :lol: :lol:

[Jonathan]

Did I open up a can of worms or what? :o
We're simpy stating our opinions, the point of a forum. :)

[Shine]

You're such a trouble maker, Mike! See what you started? :mad: :lol: :lol:

I knew that if I posted something negative about Michael, that I would hear about it. :lol: Honestly though, I was just giving my opinion of Michael. I'm not saying that everyone has to believe me.

[PunkyP0WER]

I knew that if I posted something negative about Michael, that I would hear about it. :lol: Honestly though, I was just giving my opinion of Michael. I'm not saying that everyone has to believe me.
i was just kidding Mike :) as you already know. you're entitled to your opinion. and it made for a nice debate

[Shine]

i was just kidding Mike :) as you already know. you're entitled to your opinion. and it made for a nice debate

I know that you were, Kim. :)

[platinumblondelife]

When I was in high school Michael was accused of molesting a young boy and he paid the parents off to drop the charges. Since I was not involved in the case, I don't have proof. I would love to be wrong about this. However, it is generally believed that this is what happened. I've read that one of Jackson's biographers, Christopher Sanford (a very repected writer), believes himself that this is what took place. Again, I would love to believe that this never happened and that this young boy was never molested.

Michael was "eccentric and weird" because of his own childhood abuse at the the hands of his father. I'm well aware of this. It is also a psychological fact that abused children grow up to be abusive adults.
The fact that parents settled for money rather than going through and charging a supposed child-molester says something though, doesn't it?

[Tweety]

The fact that parents settled for money rather than going through and charging a supposed child-molester says something though, doesn't it?

You make a great point.

A parent who's worth anything would not put a price on any alleged molestation of their child. They'd go ahead with the charges.

Of course, there are an awful lot of worthless parents out there. And in and around Hollywood, all bets would certainly be off. I wouldn't put anything past any Hollywood parent (or Hollywood wanna-be parent).

One concern that a parent would probably have in a molestation case would be whether their child would have to testify publicly. I don't know enough about the laws as to how that works, I imagine it would be based on the age of the child, and I'm sure that laws vary from state to state, some may require the victim (if older than a certain age) to take the stand, others might allow testimony and cross-examination via videotape to be played to the jury.

But again, you make an excellent point, and the fact that these parents were willing to be paid off does indeed say a lot.

[catlover79]

The fact that parents settled for money rather than going through and charging a supposed child-molester says something though, doesn't it?
BINGO!

[Faith]

To answer the question Michael Jackson's death hit me harder. But I do agree that he was quite possibly a child molester. Maybe I am wrong, but if he was still alive I wouldn't let my kid be around him, and hoped that nothing would happen.

[Penny Lane]

Neither one as I was not really a fan of either of them. Farrah's death was not a surprise but Michael's was totally unexpected so I guess I would have to say that Michael's was the most surprising.

[Tweety]

The fact that parents settled for money rather than going through and charging a supposed child-molester says something though, doesn't it?

But, one other thing to consider...

Yes, they settled for money rather than charging the alleged child-molester.

On the other hand, Jackson did pay them off rather than challenging their accusations and officially clearing his name.

Just another way of looking at it, that's all.

[OH Nuts!]

Gosh, so much has been said and we did lose two great talents. Farrah's death definitely hit me the hardest. She didn't ask for this and she fought her disease tooth and nail and was a real power of example. Graceful and pretty always - no matter what - even to the end. And it was very touching the way Ryan stood by her. (I know there are plenty of instances where he was no saint but IN THIS INSTANCE he was wonderful.)

As for Michael it was a shock when I heard it. But as Janice said, the guy was WIERD. A phenomenal talent, but wierd. It was so sad that he never seemed truly able to enjoy his fame or his wealth. Do I think he was a child molester? No, not in the out in out sense but there was a lot of gray. And I do think others were willing to take advantage of that and go after Michael the way kids whack at a pinata - to see how much cash and prizes they could get. So settling with accusers for $ doesn't necessarily indict him. Legal battles are messy and emotionally draining & getting too enmeshed may have been a drain on his talent.

[Penny Lane]

I do have a new respect for Ryan. I had read so many negative things about him(including Tatum's book) But he stuck by her and that was great! I will forever look at him in a better light.
As for Michael. I have been watching some of his videos from the early 80's. He was so handsome! Somewhere he lost his way which is very sad. I only hope that he and Farrah have found comfort and peace at last.

[gidgetgrape]

Michael's death hit me the hardest. I felt sick after the news sunk in. I've never felt like that about a celebrity death. He was a big part of my childhood and I was still a fan of his music. My mother took it worst than I did.

I feel sad that MJ had such a troubled childhood and that he never put it behind him and moved on. To anyone reading this: Don't let your childhood or anything that happened to you in the past take over your future. Work through your problems (seek professional help if necessary) and don't look back. Don't become a 50 year-old Peter Pan. Keep growing. When you're a child you don't have any control over your life, but when you're an adult you do.

[Penny Lane]

Michael's death hit me the hardest. I felt sick after the news sunk in. I've never felt like that about a celebrity death. He was a big part of my childhood and I was still a fan of his music. My mother took it worst than I did.

I feel sad that MJ had such a troubled childhood and that he never put it behind him and moved on. To anyone reading this: Don't let your childhood or anything that happened to you in the past take over your future. Work through your problems (seek professional help if necessary) and don't look back. Don't become a 50 year-old Peter Pan. Keep growing. When you're a child you don't have any control over your life, but when you're an adult you do.

Very good advice Gidget! :wave:

[catlover79]

Michael's death hit me the hardest. I felt sick after the news sunk in. I've never felt like that about a celebrity death. He was a big part of my childhood and I was still a fan of his music. My mother took it worst than I did.

I feel sad that MJ had such a troubled childhood and that he never put it behind him and moved on. To anyone reading this: Don't let your childhood or anything that happened to you in the past take over your future. Work through your problems (seek professional help if necessary) and don't look back. Don't become a 50 year-old Peter Pan. Keep growing. When you're a child you don't have any control over your life, but when you're an adult you do.
I feel bad that Michael was unable to really grow up, too. But even if he had sought help from a psychiatrist and/or psychologist, he had to fear that they would sell his information to the highest bidder. Almost all the other doctors around him did. So it's a shame that he was never able to shake those issues and get the psychological healing he so desperately needed. Otherwise, his story might have had a happy ending.

[gidgetgrape]

Very good advice Gidget! :wave:
Thanks. :)

I feel bad that Michael was unable to really grow up, too. But even if he had sought help from a psychiatrist and/or psychologist, he had to fear that they would sell his information to the highest bidder. Almost all the other doctors around him did. So it's a shame that he was never able to shake those issues and get the psychological healing he so desperately needed. Otherwise, his story might have had a happy ending.

Out of all the medical and spiritual professionals in the world, I honestly believe that Michael could have found at least one with integrity that wouldn't have sold him out. But wanting to change isn't enough, you have to actually do it. Generally speaking-- A lot of people don't want change, they want exchange.

Ultimately, what you're talking about shame. I don't think that was MJ's problem since he talked publicly about what his father did to him and the unusual situations he was put into touring as a child. I think most people are sympathetic to MJ's childhood, but they are less sympathetic to the things he did or was accused of doing.

What I'm trying to say in both of my posts is don't let anything you consider bad or shameful, hold you back. A person doesn't have to give away their entire life away or stay stuck in one phase because he or she was mistreated.

[Ohio8]

Farrah.

[Janice]

What I'm trying to say in both of my posts is don't let anything you consider bad or shameful, hold you back. A person doesn't have to give away their entire life away or stay stuck in one phase because he or she was mistreated.
Very true. I have a good friend who was molested for years as a child, by a family member. I've told her, he stole your past; don't let him steal present or your future. He took enough.

[tanquant]

Michael Jackson's death hit me the hardest. I grew up in the 80's so I never really knew Farrah Fawcett although I remember her when my mom used to watch Charlie Angels. She was a beautiful woman and may she rest in peace. I grew up watching the Thriller video and fell in love with Michael like the rest of the world. I cried when he burned his hair in the Pepsi commercial and I cried when he died. Michael did a lot for the music industry, charities,and breaking down the color barriers. I don't think that he molested those two boys. I believe that he was railroaded for his money. Recently they showed the commercial that aired right before the trial and he said that the family asked him for help because their child was sick and needed his help. He said that he has helped a lot of sick children and didn't feel that this family was any different so he took them into his home. I believe that Micheal has his place in heaven and now is finally finding peace.

[Furienna]

Michael, of course.

[LuLu Rogers]

Michael's death hit me the hardest. I grew up listening to his music. No disrespect intended, but I've never really liked Farrah myself, it's very sad that she died, but I've never been a fan.

I really can't believe that people are discussing the whole "child molestation" BS. ohno: The man is dead, let him rest in peace. He had a rough life but he was an incredibly talented musician and he really changed the face of music in so many ways. I took my first steps while one of his songs played in the background, he'll always have a special place in my heart.

[andress_jade]

Michael's death hit me the hardest. I grew up listening to his music. No disrespect intended, but I've never really liked Farrah myself, it's very sad that she died, but I've never been a fan.

I really can't believe that people are discussing the whole "child molestation" BS. ohno: The man is dead, let him rest in peace. He had a rough life but he was an incredibly talented musician and he really changed the face of music in so many ways. I took my first steps while one of his songs played in the background, he'll always have a special place in my heart.

I agree, Lulu. Thank you. :D
I said something similar to this on one of my threads about Michael. No matter how you felt about him, his death was definitely felt around the world and affected millions of people. It will never be the same without him. He was a genuinely good and super talented person that didn't deserve what happened to him. I will love him and miss him forever. :(

[Furienna]

Some people just can't let go off the allegations, even now. There are still people, who think he's guilty. It's very sad.

[JoPol_wannabe]

I like them both but I would have to say MJ's hit me the hardest because it was unexpected. After watching the funeral I just felt so bad for his kids I mean they didn't have much of a life outside of Michaels world because Michael keep them behind close doors to keep there identity safe. So when I see pictures or interviews that show the kids today still crying it just breaks my heart because I do feel that they were so close to MJ and I think MJ really did love his kids. I heard something from an interview that really broke my heart that MJ was going to take his kids to one of his London shows because they have never seen him perform in person and he kept them from rehearsals so it would be a surprise when they saw him perform for the first time. I mean you can say all you want about MJ but he was a good dad I know he shouldn't have dangled Blanket off the balcony like he did because Blanket could have slipped out of his hands no matter how tight he held him. But other then that MJ did love his kids. I just feel like MJ was misunderstood because we didn't really know the real MJ because he kept allot of things to himself and we just knew bits and pieces and when you try to put bits and pieces together you don't get the whole story and you don't really know the whole person. So my heart goes out to MJ's family and even to Brooke Shields because she was such a good close friend to MJ for many years. I'm glad MJ had a good friend like Brooke, he really needed someone like her who didn't judge him and just liked him for him. RIP MJ and Fharrah you two will be missed so much

[Furienna]

But it was possible to have another view on Michael than what the media generally provided. So if you really loved him, you knew more than "bits and pieces" about him. I never believed in most of the bad things, that people would say about him. And about the "dangling Blanket" incident, it was seven years ago! Isn't it time to get over it? I swear, that if another star, who's not as hated by the media, would have done the same thing, no one would remember it anymore. It's not fair.

[andress_jade]

But it was possible to have another view on Michael than what the media generally provided. So if you really loved him, you knew more than "bits and pieces" about him. I never believed in most of the bad things, that people would say about him. And about the "dangling Blanket" incident, it was seven years ago! Isn't it time to get over it? I swear, that if another star, who's not as hated by the media, would have done the same thing, no one would remember it anymore. It's not fair.

I agree with you Furienna. But, the media really made more out of the whole "dangling Blanket" incident than it really was. If you have ever watched the documentary "Living with Michael Jackson" he explained that he had ahold of Blanket tight and strong and wouldn't have dropped him. He only had him over that balcony for a split second. The news shows always slowed down film to make it appear much longer. The fans down below wanted to see the baby so he was showing him off to everyone down below. He was proud of his new baby boy. Michael compared what he was doing to what Mufasa did with Simba in "The Lion King", how he held Simba up in the air after he was born to show him off.
Michael was a good father and loved his kids and his kids loved him. You could tell by Paris's speech at her father's memorial. The media wanted to find garbage to focus on in Michael's life rather than the good stuff he did. The good far outweighed the bad. How could Michael be a pedophile if he did so much to help children all over the world? He was like a child himself. He said on the documentary that if he ever hurt a child or there were no more children on the earth he would jump off the balcony. Yes, he shared his bed with children but the public made it out to be sexual when it was all innocent. Michael was a gift to this world and we didn't deserve him.
My own personal opinion about Michael is if he wanted to act like a child, why stop him? He never got the chance to be a child himself. It had nothing to do about the way he was treated, it had to do with the fact that he had to work when he should have been playing and having fun like all the other children. He just wanted a normal childhood. He loved to perform but he also wanted a normal life. I don't blame him one bit for having a childlike heart. He could relate to children as an adult better than any other adult could. That was a special gift.
Speaking of Blanket, isn't he the most beautiful little boy you have ever seen in your life? He is gorgeous. He looks just like Michael when he was a little boy. He is the spitting image of his father. I'm glad that Michael will live on through his children. He should be proud of Prince, Paris and Blanket.

[Tweety]

I agree with you Furienna. But, the media really made more out of the whole "dangling Blanket" incident than it really was. If you have ever watched the documentary "Living with Michael Jackson" he explained that he had ahold of Blanket tight and strong and wouldn't have dropped him. He only had him over that balcony for a split second. The news shows always slowed down film to make it appear much longer. The fans down below wanted to see the baby so he was showing him off to everyone down below. He was proud of his new baby boy. Michael compared what he was doing to what Mufasa did with Simba in "The Lion King", how he held Simba up in the air after he was born to show him off. ...

No one was fooled by the fact that the video was slowed down. But if the fans below wanted to see the baby, what good is holding him out there for a split second supposed to accomplish?

As far as how long the kid was dangled, what is the maximum length of time a parent could do this to their child that would be OK with you?

Also, they had a better grip on Simba than Michael had on his kid. Michael was holding him with one hand (and shielding him from view with the other, so much for letting his “fans” see the kid). With Simba, they were at least careful enough to hold him up with both hands. Kids can wiggle around, and Michael isn’t exactly the world’s strongest man. It wouldn’t take a lot to break free from his grasp.


How to hold a baby...and how NOT to... but hey, the fans were happy. Wonder what the kid thinks of Michael when he sees that photo?

[andress_jade]

I'm not saying what he did was right. He shouldn't have done it, the point I was trying to make was that it was blown totally out of proportion by the media. He wouldn't have intentionally hurt Blanket. He did apologize for it later and explained why he did it.
Remember when Steve Irwin held his baby son Bob out in front of him with a crocodile right there? That crocodile could have swallowed that baby whole, yet you don't see anyone talking about it anymore. It was on the news for maybe a week.Steve Irwin is dead now and you don't hear anything at all about him. Everyone is still talking about Michael "dangling" his son off the balcony and that happened 6 years ago. Blanket is fine and healthy and no worse for the wear. He didn't die and he wasn't hurt, that's the point I'm trying to make. A lot of parents make bad judgements when it comes to their kids but nobody bats an eyelash. Michael was human and he made mistakes, must we continue to hold it over his head even after his death?
Okay, so you don't like him, fine but you should respect other people who do. You don't have to like him. He's dead now, let him rest in peace and be remembered for his music and what a good person he was. Point made.

[EmoJoe]

^agreed.

[Tweety]

I'm not saying what he did was right. He shouldn't have done it, the point I was trying to make was that it was blown totally out of proportion by the media. He wouldn't have intentionally hurt Blanket. He did apologize for it later and explained why he did it.
Remember when Steve Irwin held his baby son Bob out in front of him with a crocodile right there? That crocodile could have swallowed that baby whole, yet you don't see anyone talking about it anymore. It was on the news for maybe a week.Steve Irwin is dead now and you don't hear anything at all about him. Everyone is still talking about Michael "dangling" his son off the balcony and that happened 6 years ago. Blanket is fine and healthy and no worse for the wear. He didn't die and he wasn't hurt, that's the point I'm trying to make. A lot of parents make bad judgements when it comes to their kids but nobody bats an eyelash. Michael was human and he made mistakes, must we continue to hold it over his head even after his death?

Okay, so you don't like him, fine but you should respect other people who do. You don't have to like him. He's dead now, let him rest in peace and be remembered for his music and what a good person he was. Point made.


That's cool... and good point about Steve Irwin... when he did that, I was right in the front of the line criticizing him... but a lot of people said the same thing about him as they're saying about Jackson now...namely, that it's not a big deal, he knows what he's doing. I don't think either act is acceptable. The only good part about any of it was that, in fact, the kids did not get hurt...at least physically.

Michael Jackson was an immensely talented singer and dancer. My only point in all this is that we don't need to make him out to be anything more than what he was, which was an immensely talented singer and dancer (and choreographer, producer and whatever else he did in the entertainment world).

[Furienna]

I totally agree with Andress Jade. :)