Michael Jackson?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8119951.stm

Michael Jackson has been rushed to hospital with a suspected cardiac arrest. There are rumours that the king of pop has died. Surely not. The hospital has not released any official news. I hope this story is not true. C'mon Michael!

It was just announced on our television...

Michael has been pronounced dead.

I'm in shock!

So am I. He was a part of my childhood. I listened to Thriller many times. He was a music genius and a heck of a dancer.

Very shocking.
He's a Hoosier. From my state.

RIP to a music legend.

This is incredibly shocking O_O; I'm stunned :(

Very shocking, indeed.

R.I.P., Michael.

Sorry would've had this sooner but my PC just died, too!

Pop star Michael Jackson dead: report
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090625/...m/us_jackson_5

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Pop giant Michael Jackson, who took to the stage as a child star and set the world dancing to exuberant rhythms for decades, died on Thursday, TMZ website reported. He was 50.

There was no official confirmation of the reported death and spokespersons for Jackson could not be reached for comment.

"We've just learned Michael Jackson has died," TMZ said.

"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," the entertainment site said.

It added, "A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived."

Earlier, the Los Angeles Times said the singer had been rushed to a Los Angeles-area hospital by fire department paramedics who found him not breathing when they arrived at the singer's home.

The newspaper said paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the scene before taking him to the UCLA Medical Center hospital.

Jackson had been due to start a series of comeback concerts in London on July 13 running until March 2010. The singer, whose hits included "Thriller" and "Billie Jean," had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the past two months.

The shows for the 50 London concerts sold out within minutes of going on sale in March.

His lifetime record sales tally is believed to be around 750 million, which, added to the 13 Grammy Awards he received, makes him one of the most successful entertainers of all time.

He lived as a virtual recluse since his acquittal in 2005 on charges of child molestation.

There were concerns about Jackson's health in recent years but the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson had passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.

CHILD STAR TO MEGASTAR

Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children. Five Jackson boys -- Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael -- first performed together at a talent show when Michael was 6. They walked off with first prize and went on to become a best-selling band, The Jackson Five, and then The Jackson 5.

Jackson made his first solo album in 1972, and released "Thriller" in 1982, which became a smash hit that yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million worldwide.

The next year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.

In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996. Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999. The couple never lived together.

Jackson has three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hotel balcony, causing widespread criticism.

Granted, I've made my fair share of Michael Jackson jokes....but Thriller was like my first album ever. I kinda feel like crying.

AP Source: Michael Jackson dies in LA hospital

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090625/...ichael_jackson

LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson, the record-breaking, sensationally gifted "King of Pop" who emerged from childhood superstardom to become the entertainment world's most influential singer and dancer, and the tabloid world's most disturbing celebrity, has died. He was 50.

A person with knowledge of the situation says Jackson died Thursday in a Los Angeles hospital. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity.

His death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980s, when he was popular music's premier all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.

Originally Posted by Marmalade Skies

Granted, I've made my fair share of Michael Jackson jokes....but Thriller was like my first album ever. I kinda feel like crying.

I don't think it's sunk in for me.

I remember the Jackson 5 WAAAAY back when they first hit the radio.

I walked by Michael at Disneyland in 1981 at a private party.

I dunno... Everything just seems surreal right now.

This is extremely shocking, I don't even know what to make of it, I am so upset, rest in peace!

I honestly do not believe this, this is so sudden, I feel like this is all one big joke, I can't imagine a world without Jackson. I am not a huge fan of his, but either way, I can't believe it.

Michael Jackson was an absolute legend. He had such brilliant songs with the Jackson 5 ("Show You the Way to Go", "I Want You Back", "ABC", "Blame it on the Boogie") and then he fulfilled his potential by going solo and having such a mega-successful solo career. I loved his music when I was a kid, songs like "Black or White", "Bad", "Beat It", "Billie Jean" and of course, my favourite, "Heal the World". Michael Jackson is a global icon and when you listen to the music, you can forgive him all his eccentricities.

RIP

My mom and I were watching NBC News, and Brian Williams just opened with it. Our jaws just both hit the floor. I can't believe it. Far too young. I know he had his issues, but I have honestly always felt a little sorry for the guy. Even for those who didn't like him, no one will ever be able to deny his HUGE contributions to music. I pray that God will comfort his family, especially his children.

News here just talked to the family spokesperson. He made it sound like he can't say what's going on yet, but Jermaine, LaToya & Randy are there at the hospital & are sobbing. The hospital has made no official statement yet. However, all the telly stations here are saying he's dead.

The family spokesperson also said that Michael has been having issues with prescription drugs. Although he's always been very fit, he said that Michael was surrounded by people who enabled him in taking too many prescription drugs. He said the family has been trying to help Michael for over a month to get away from this. He's not sure if that's what caused the heart attack that killed Michael, but... interesting!

Michael's father is on the way to the hospital from Las Vegas, but Vegas to LA is several hours... so it may be a while.

What about Janet? His mom?

I have a pic of Michael with George Harrison. I'll dig it up

LA Coroner just officially confirmed Michael's death.

It's a 4 hr drive from Vegas to L.A.-I'm sure he'll be flying which only be a an hr flt...

Personal life/issues aside-you can't ignore his muscial talent,I'm mostly a fan of the "Jackson Five" songs and his early solo albums i.e-Thriller, Bad...

RIP Michael-hopefully you've seen Farrah on your way up...

Donna~

Originally Posted by MaccaGirl2891

What about Janet? His mom?

I have a pic of Michael with George Harrison. I'll dig it up

No word on the rest of the family at this time. They only mentioned Joe, Jermaine, LaToya & Randy.

There seems to be some concern, too, as to where Michael's three children are. I hope they weren't home to see Michael collapse.