Posted: June-29-2009 at 11:18am | IP Logged	Tweet

Man, what's happened to the Pickin' Parlor? Doesn't anyone have anything to "pick" about?

Nothing mentioned when entertainment figures such as Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson all pass away last week.

I seriously doubt in entertainment history have two mega-stars such as Fawcett and Jackson died on the same day.

We all remember those Publisher Clearinghouse commercials McMahon did telling us we could win $1 million dollars, plus his years as Johnny Carson's sidekick.

And who can forget Fawcett in the "Charlie's Angels" days. She was the glamour icon of that era. Girls wanted the Farrah hairdo and boys just wanted to stare at her posters. HA HA HA HA

Granted, I didn't really care for Jackson (let me rephrase that and say the later-day Jackson). But I recently watched (again) the "Jackson 5" movie, and it's unreal the talent in the family. I liked Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson music during the 60s and 70s, and some of Michael's in the 80s.

I guess the thing about Michael I feel bad about are his children and the family, losing their father, son and brother. Regardless of my feelings about Jackson's lifestyle or anything he allegedly did, the bottom line still is a family member died. 

After watching a good bit of TV coverage regarding Jackson's death, it's nothing but a circus. Back when Elvis Presley died in 1977 we didn't have cable television like we do today, just network TV. We've been on overload the past few days with Michael Jackson TV coverage.

I guess one thing that's not really set well with me is how not much has been mentioned about Fawcett's passing. Last night on the BET Music Awards it was all about Michael Jackson.

I couldn't believe Joe Jackson made his appearance at the awards show. I don't care for that man. Not just because of last night at the BET deal, either. I guess Janet Jackson showing up and talking, that was more from the heart with her. I believe Janet and her sisters and brothers and mother, they all deeply loved Michael. But daddy Joe, I seriously he loved Michael ... except for the millions of dollars he helped make for the family.

The days and weeks (even years) to come regarding the Jackson family related to Michael's passing, it's going to be interesting. Where will the "King of Pop" even be buried? There's talk of at Neverland Ranch and turn it into something like Graceland.

And what about all the Michael Jackson music sold since his passing. It's unreal to say the least. I never bought the first Michael Jackson album/CD and don't plan on doing so now.

I do hate he passed away, though. Being the same age as Michael, I witnessed the transformation over the years from little Michael all the way to the pale-skinned Michael when he died.

In watching TV coverage, what really bothered me is just how sad and lonely a person Michael was. Really, he was just like Elvis ... lived a very isolated life due to his fame. He never had a childhood like kids should have. He didn't have friends to just go outside and play with like kids do when growing up. I believe his childhood directed by his dictator father is what led to the Michael in his adult years.

Anyway, RIP ... Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. ...

Posted: June-29-2009 at 12:28pm | IP Logged	Tweet

RW, although any death is tragic I think I'm more disturbed by Farrah Fawcett's passing than I am for the others. There was a special on CNBC about her over the weekend where a camera crew chronicled her battle with cancer and I must admit that she was an incredibly brave woman.  Ryan O'Neal seemed to be there every step of the way, like any good spouse would, and I now see them not as a "Hollywood" couple but just as a couple that were in truly in love with each other....very moving stuff indeed. Also, her Charlies Angels co-stars were still a big part of her life during her battle with cancer, they all remained very committed to Farrah until her death. If you get a chance to watch it you'll see that money and fame just don't stack up to having true, close friends.

I didn't watch any of the Tonight shows last week, was there any type of tribute to Ed on there? If not, there should have been, he was as much a part of the success of the Tonight show as Johnny Carson or any hosts they ever had.

Posted: June-29-2009 at 1:43pm | IP Logged	Tweet

I agree with Shawn and Robbie 100%.

The media seems to be able to focus on only one major news storyline at a time. And, when they locked in on the Michael Jackson story, they just can't seem to let go. And I keep hearing Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson talking about how "we have to keep his message alive and his legacy ongoing".

As Shawn said, I certainly mean no disrespect, but exactly what was (or is) Jackson's "message".

I know what Farrah Fawcett accomplished and the message that she did her best to get out by publicly documenting her final months of life as she battle that hideous disease.  And, as Robbie pointed out so well, Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal showed us all that they transcended the Hollywood sterotype and showed the world that they were real people.. and gave us all a glimpse of real love between two caring individuals. That was a "message".

I know that Ed McMahon was a well respected man in show business, and that he twice served his country in time of war... two different wars. Ed mcMahon had a message, too.... One can be a "Hollywood insider" and still live a life as a respected businessman, still hold family values high, and service to and love of his country was important in his life.

I know that Jackson was once the most popular singer in the world... 20+ years ago.... and that he went on to make himself into some kind of freak show character by bleaching all the color form his skin and by the seemingly never-ending plastic surgeries which constantly altered his appearance to the point that finally sort of resembled those alien posters we see associated with Roswell, NM.  I guess that along the way, I just missed this "message" that they have to keep alive. He amassed a huge fortune in the music business during his heyday... and he squandered it all away. He died millions upon millions of dollars in debt. His family seems all too concerned with TV rights for the funeral, and they have Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson involved in negotiations to try to get the infamous Neverland Ranch back in the possession of the Jackson family so that they can bury Michael Jackson there and open it up as a tribute theme park.....i.e., make a buck.   What exactly is the "message" though?

Posted: June-29-2009 at 1:50pm | IP Logged	Tweet

Van_84 wrote: However, I am very interested to learn more about the odd circumstances surrounding the death of TV sales pitchman Billy Mays...

I must say, I was interested in hearing how Billy Mays died, too. Especially after hearing he'd taken a blow to the head when the plane landed on Saturday. I kind of thought maybe he'd suffered a closed-head injury and didn't realize it.
___________________________________________

Posted: June-29-2009 at 1:53pm | IP Logged	Tweet

I've always heard it said that "Good, true friends in life are priceless treasures!" I wholeheartedly agree with that statement.

Robbie, yeah they had a tribute to Ed McMahon on "The Tonight Show." David Letterman even commented about the loss of McMahon, too. After all, Dave did fill in hosting "The Tonight Show" for Johnny Carson on many occasions over the years.

Posted: June-29-2009 at 1:58pm | IP Logged	Tweet

You can rest assured if the Rev.'s Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are involved ... it's because of the almighty dollar. Oh, I hope either of them don't read what I just typed or I'll be accused of being a racist.

As I previously posted, I don't care for daddy Joe Jackson at all. I gurantee you even in his son's death, Joe's thinking "How can the family make money from Michael's passing?"

Posted: June-29-2009 at 2:02pm | IP Logged	Tweet

I'm sure y'all have also heard this, but from different things I read and heard over the years, Michael Jackson and his "strange" relationship with Elizabeth Taylor, he wished he could be a white person.

I must admit, Michael became scary-looking he was soooooooooooooooooooo pale.

Posted: June-29-2009 at 2:09pm | IP Logged	Tweet

I'd really like to hear what Michael Jackson's "message" is too??? But we can all rest assured, the good Rev.'s Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton will let us know what MJ's message was.

I'm sure during his life Michael did a lot of good things, things not publicly revealed. The benefits of him getting all the entertainers together for the "We Are The World" video and the proceeds sales of it generated, that was a good deal.

But still yet, there was the "dark side" of Michael. Even though he wasn't found guilty of any child-related charges, if he wasn't guilty then why did he pay the families?

It's a fact Michael was weird, but I still believe a lot of his issues over the years resulted from him not having a normal childhood. He was a sad, lonely person who just wanted someone to truly love him. His fame and fortune couldn't bring him "true love."

Posted: June-29-2009 at 2:38pm | IP Logged	Tweet

I think that you are right RW.

There probably was a message which MJ was getting out, and which still needs to be distributed.... I'm just saying that somewhere along the line I missed it, and would just like to know what it is (or was).

The "We Are The World" video.... what year was that? Is that the message? Has he continued to expound that message over the past Twenty years? Ten years? Five years? 

And, like you, I always wondered why he volunteered to pay millions of dollars to his alledged child victims' families if he wasn't guilty of something. However, to me it said much more about the character of those alledged victims' families that they would accept hush money rather than seek justice.

I just haven't seen any clear message to be carried on, or legacy to continue, except that the family desperately wants to keep money rolling in by some means. Joe Jackson, for financial gain, exploited his children as they were growing up and in adulthood. He wants to keep making money off MJ in death.   There is definitely a message in that.

Posted: June-29-2009 at 3:49pm | IP Logged	Tweet

Jackson's message?

I think it's right in front of our eyes. It is possible to be born a young African-American child and die a middle-aged Anglo-American woman. Michael Jackson had the opportunity to use his talents, universal appeal, and financial windfall in a way that might have gone unchallenged for decades, even centuries. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Why? Who knows? Everything Speed and RW and everyone else has posted is right. Had he done the right thing, had Joe Jackson done the right thing, had all of them done the right thing, this family could've very well been one of the world's most powerful families in more good ways than I can count. Not only is this the end of the Michael Jackson era, this the end of the Jackson's period.

I really felt for Farrah. Cancer is a disease rivaled by practically nothing, and her particular disease/form of cancer pretty much takes no prisoners. She and Ryan were truly in love. He will sorely miss her moreso than we'll ever imagine.

Ed McMahon was a one-timer. There'll never be anyone else like him. With the humility to play second fiddle along with the confidence to take the reigns when it was time to do his own thing, Ed was as complete a person as they come. He was especially funny when he and Johnny did their "Carmac The Magnificent" gig. His subtle comments and constant laughter were as funny as some of the lines themselves. The one I remember most with regards to "Carmac" was the night when Ed repeated "Adolph's Meat Tenderizer" and Carmac said "What is a Massage Parlor run by Hitler"! I thought Ed would never regain his breath, LOL!

This deal with Billy Mays is sad because he was so young and it would appear that it was a freakish accident, much like that of Steve Irwin.

Posted: June-29-2009 at 9:10pm | IP Logged	Tweet

It very well could have been a skin disease which caused him to turn white. I did some research tonight, and found as many references to different alleged skin disorders as I did to alleged skin "bleaching" procedures. But, the issue could very well have been a skin disorder.

That though doesn't explain why he felt the need to repeatedly have face altering plastic surgeries in an effort to become more and more feminine in appearance. By the final years of his life, he had managed to reduce his nose to just a thin facsimile of a nose. It was all but gone.  

I found the following column in USA Today:

The child prodigy

Jackson began singing at age 5 with his four older brothers, winning local talent contests in their hometown of Gary, Ind. Eventually, the brothers formed the Jackson 5 and began playing professional gigs in venues across the Midwest.

The defendant

In recent years, Jackson spent far more time in court than on stage. In addition to assorted civil lawsuits over concerts and other business arrangements that fell apart, Jackson was most notoriously entangled in the legal system over accusations of sexual misconduct with children.

In 1993 he was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy and settled with the child's family for a reported $22 million. The boy in question refused to cooperate with investigators, who then never filed charges because of lack of evidence.

Jackson was accused again in 2003 by a 13-year-old companion who was filmed in interviews for the documentary Living With Michael Jackson, holding hands and talking about sleeping in the same room. The friendship ended when child-welfare investigators looked into the relationship, and the boy and his family accused the singer of sexually mistreating him. The trial became a media circus, though a jury ultimately acquitted him in 2005.

The humanitarian

Jackson had a huge soft spot for charitable causes. He gave millions of his own money and helped raise millions more to support advocacy groups ranging from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to the American Cancer Society.

Jackson also co-wrote with Lionel Richie We Are the World, the star-laden 1985 single that sold 20 million copies, raising millions for famine relief. He reprised the song at London's World Music Awards in 2006.

Yet, for all he gave away, and the estimated $1 billion income he grossed over his career, Jackson faced a series of cash crunches in recent years. In 2005, he owed an estimated $300 million to creditors and, a year later, closed the main house of his Neverland Ranch to cut costs.

The superstar

Jackson launched a solo career in 1972, not long after the Jackson 5's I Want You Back scaled the charts, though his first release was the modest-selling Got to Be There. He generated more sizzle with 1979's Off the Wall. But it was 1982's Thriller that provided Jackson his breakthrough. Thriller dominated music sales for the next two years, becoming the world's best-selling album of all time. Jackson could never duplicate Thriller's success, but his 1987 release, Bad, generated several hits. Through his career, the King of Pop won 13 Grammys and had 13 No. 1 hits. All told, Jackson sold 750 million albums.

The husband

After his first molestation accusation, Jackson — who had never been seen in a serious relationship — announced he had married Lisa Marie Presley, joining the King of Pop with the daughter of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. The couple went public by sharing a deep kiss onstage at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards. "Just think, nobody thought this would last," Jackson said, planting a smooch on his new wife, who in 2003 told Rolling Stonethat she "was terrified. It was his manager's idea. I thought it was stupid."

Alas, it didn't last. They divorced after about 20 months.

In 1996, he married Debbie Rowe, the nurse at his dermatologist's office. She gave birth to his two children, Paris and Prince Michael, and later gave him full custody as part of their divorce settlement.

The father

Jackson had a son, Michael Jackson Jr., aka Prince, and later a daughter, Paris, with Debbie Rowe before they divorced in 1999. For years, their faces were rarely seen in public, as he insisted on covering their faces with scarves.

More baffling was Jackson's handling of his third child, Prince Michael II, born to a mystery surrogate mother in 2002. Jackson dangled the baby from a balcony of a German hotel room, horrifying onlookers who thought Jackson was going to drop him. Jackson later admitted the prank was a terrible mistake.

The video star

Jackson's solo career coincided with a new musical format: the music video. 1983's Thriller was a groundbreaking 13-minute film short, a throwback to B-horror flicks of the 1950s with a boy, a girl and dancing ghouls risen from the grave. It was directed by John Landis (Animal House) with makeup by Oscar winner Rick Baker.

Group dance — and gang-fighting — was also the hallmark of Beat It. And his 1991 video for Black or White featured one of the earliest uses of computer morphing, as his face melded into dozens of different people. Among other iconic filmmakers he worked with: Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas.

The eccentric

More than a musician, Jackson may have been known around the world for being something else — a strange, strange man. It became hard to separate fact from fiction: Was the photo of him in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber a hoax? Did he really try to purchase the bones of the Elephant Man?

But Jackson did surround himself with children at his Neverland Ranch (pictured), an affinity that came to take on dark undertones after molestation accusations. And his skin color turned from dark brown to pale white — the symptom of a skin disorder, he said — and he subjected himself to numerous plastic surgeries to alter the shape of his face, ultimately reducing his wide nose to a thin remnant.

Posted: June-29-2009 at 11:27pm | IP Logged	Tweet

I heard it said earlier tonight on CNN that at time of death, Michael Jackson's body was covered in needle marks and scars. And a few nights ago, a former servant of MJ's said every night two or three bottles of wine were taken up to his bedroom.

Between pills, injected drugs, and alcohol, it appears MJ was living in a haze.  

Posted: June-30-2009 at 7:03pm | IP Logged	Tweet

Between Joe Jackon and the Reverends Sharpton and Jesseeeeee Jack-sunnnn, it's a true circus.

Michael was a professional isolationist...the last thing he would've wanted would have been a big public funeral...

 ...and this "laying in state" like they're planning...I thought that was reserved for Presidents and royalty...pitiful.

Posted: June-30-2009 at 8:47pm | IP Logged	Tweet

No matter what, someone is going to make some major money on the movie rights.  It'll be a little bit "Elvis the Movie" (starred Kurt Russel) and a little bit "The Aviator" (about Howard Hughes, starred Leonardo DiCaprio).

Should be interesting.

Posted: July-03-2009 at 5:53pm | IP Logged	Tweet

Heard on the radio yesterday that they were SELLING TICKETS to MJ's FUNERAL!!!

Anyone planning on going?

Posted: July-03-2009 at 7:21pm | IP Logged	Tweet

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm     not me  i ant going to go  even if it was free

Posted: July-12-2009 at 3:23pm | IP Logged	Tweet

Bobby Gobble wrote: I heard when Farrah Fawcett died god granted her a wish and that wish was to protect all the little kids in the world so god killed Michael Jackson

Oh man...

Seriously, I resent how the media has virtually ignored Farrah's courageous struggle with cancer and given this pedophile Michael Jackson attention like Princess Diana got for her funeral... this whole thing is disgusting, especially how Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and Joe Jackson are all trying to profit off of this. And Jesse and Al are supposed to be men of the cloth, too... but I guess they serve the almighty dollar.