Michael Jackson's Brother's News Conference

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 07:30:35 PM EST
Tags: Michael Jackson (all tags)

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Update: Really sad to watch the helicopter fly Michael Jackson's body to the morgue where the coroner will do the autopsy.

A news conference with the hospital where Michael Jackson died is about to begin. I will live-blog. (Update: There is no hospital news conference. I've changed the title to his brother's press conference and posted the video. ]

Hasn't started yet but a LAPD police detective gave a little interview. A coroner's investigation is underway. The robbery/homicide division was assigned because of high profile nature of the death. He said "Don't read anything into it."

Hospital conference still to come. Stay tuned. I may have to change channels. CNN's pundits can't stop talking about unproven allegations against Jackson and even bringing up Joe Jackson's alleged childhood abuse of Michael. [More...]

Their guests, with the exception of the lawyer they interviewed who was fired by Tom Mesereau during the 2005, are doing better. (Add another, one who was talking about Jackson's financial debt and his planned London concerts -- he just said Billionaire Phil Anschutz is connected to the Coors fortune. Huh? And he reminded Anderson Cooper he's a journalist.

Attorney Oxman is now on MSNBC making his allegations. Why do they have this guy on? He's now saying he doesn't know anything, he just predicted this from his past observations two years ago. Again, this guy was fired during the 2005 trial by Tom Meseareau. Michael Jackson later said Oxman doesn't represent him.

He keeps saying "we" when he's referencing the Jackson family as if he's one of them. Does he represent anyone of them? I don't think so. He just told Keith Olberman he's speaking only for himself.

Sounds like there isn't going to be a press conference tonight by the hospital or the family.

Update: After two hours I tuned back in to MSNBC and Keith Olbermann was still asking guests about why people would gather at the hospital when nothing was happening there. He's been obsessed by this all night. What's up with that? Does he ask why people bring flowers to the site of an accident or crime scene or the home of a celebrity when they die? Can he not understand that Michael Jackson had millions of fans and a few thousand who live in proximity may want to connect with the tragic event and each other? What should they do -- stay home and watch cable news? The coverage on all the channels has ranged from trite to abysmal.

< Michael Jackson Dies of Cardiac Arrest | Late Night: (It Don't Matter If You're) Black or White >

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Michael Jackson's Brother's News Conference | 34 comments (34 topical)

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Lisa Marie Presley's statement was (5.00 / 0) (#1)
by ruffian on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 08:21:13 PM EST

the most moving one I heard. Sounded very genuine and coming from her and not a PR flak.

Looking for a link...not finding one....

: Here it is: (5.00 / 1) (#21)
by Inspector Gadget on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 09:59:47 PM EST

LISA MARIE PRESLEY'S STATEMENT FOR MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH

"I am so very sad and confused with every emotional possible.
I am heartbroken for his children.
This is such a loss on so many levels. Words fail me.
-Lisa Marie Presley
Strange web site, so I'm not linking to it.

NBC's Mike Taibbi (5.00 / 2) (#3)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 08:32:51 PM EST

no credulous pushover, was on MSNBC earlier, FYI. He was apparently the investigative reporter NBC put on the molestation trial. He made it clear he didn't believe a word of it, and said in his opinion, Michael was basically asexual.

That's always been my guess, so it was interesting -- and heartening -- to hear one reporter who followed this stuff stick up for Jackson, unlike most of the other ghouls who are deeply, deeply invested in having him be a pervert child molester.

What do I know, I only watch a bit of this stuff on television, but it just never did strike me as likely.

Well, he's out of his emotional torments now. RIP. He gave us some great, great moments.

I was never convinced that he was a child molester (5.00 / 5) (#4)
by Angel on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 08:37:53 PM EST

either. I always saw him as a gentle person who just wanted to be loved and who needed to love - basically what all of us want.


I saw him in much the say way (none / 0) (#5)
by rdandrea on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 08:40:23 PM EST

To me, he was Peter Pan.


: I absolutely agree (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by addy on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 09:00:28 PM EST

But it's galling to see the sick fun the ghouls are are having now. I have trouble listening to any of it. It makes me sick.

Agreed (none / 0) (#19)
by Inspector Gadget on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 09:55:43 PM EST

I always thought he just decided to never grow up. Neverland was for him, and his friends.


: I think he never felt he had (5.00 / 2) (#31)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 11:33:19 PM EST

the option to fully grow up.
Imagine being a celebrity at his level. You can never, ever trust anybody's friendship because it's so deeply colored by your fame and what people think they can get from you, or how they're afraid you could damage them if they crossed you.
I think he spent so much time with children (and animals) because he very simply could trust children's reactions to him as honest and he couldn't trust anybody else's.

no they aren't (5.00 / 4) (#8)
by Jeralyn on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 08:48:49 PM EST

45 years ago many parents used coporeal punishment. It wasn't always child abuse. And even if it was, it has no business being brought up tonight when the family is grieving Michael's death.

It's sad (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by nycstray on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 09:01:14 PM EST

that the BS is being brought up. Not hearing as much about the good he did.

Walters just asked on ABC if he would be remembered for his talent or the scandals. The person she asked responded with "talent" and went on to expand a bit. What about his charitable work?

D@mn he was talented! (they just showed a couple more quick vid clips)


thank you for your views (5.00 / 4) (#12)
by Jeralyn on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 09:15:51 PM EST

but please don't divert the thread by continuing to discuss this. It's disrespectful to Michael Jackson and his family. Further comments about it will be deleted. This site has a long-standing policy of not speaking ill of the dead, particularly on the day they died.


: i agree (5.00 / 0) (#14)
by Jlvngstn on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 09:21:41 PM EST

epithets on epitaphs, are stories well buried.

: Yes, (5.00 / 1) (#24)
by Natal on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 10:15:08 PM EST

according to the eastern sages it's always wise for us to send the departed good thoughts as the vibrations follow the person to wherever he/she has gone.

That's no kidding (5.00 / 1) (#40)
by Militarytracy on Fri Jun 26, 2009 at 09:48:39 AM EST

There was a huge diversity back then when it came to what was considered an appropriate punishment. Everyone works to be smarter now, but Southern public schools still dole out coporeal punishment. During his childhood domestic violence was a norm that happened behind uncountable closed doors.


demons (5.00 / 6) (#13)
by Jlvngstn on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 09:18:56 PM EST

that were pervasive in his childhood haunted him deeply. I find it hard to judge a man so deeply scarred. may he rest in peace.

what i long for now is a post from anne (5.00 / 0) (#22)
by Jlvngstn on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 09:59:55 PM EST

she has a way with words that make me feel that allow me to sleep with comfort. where are you anne?????

I'd be more upset about this news (5.00 / 3) (#23)
by Radiowalla on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 10:11:24 PM EST

if I weren't still in deep mourning for Elvis.

Each generation has its icons. Michael Jackson was an icon of this generation, but he will pass into the realm of ephemera just as Elvis has.

For those who feel pain on his loss, I send my condolences. He was a man who made a real contribution to the world of music and he was loved by many.

Maureen Orth (5.00 / 2) (#28)
by djork on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 10:59:19 PM EST

On MSNBC she had some really ugly and borderline hateful comments. I know she has reported on the weirder side of Michael's life, but it was just incredibly insensitive and mean spirited for her to say some of those things only hours after he just died and his family and friends are in shock and grieving. I wonder if she would have enjoyed it if people had read aloud some of Bob Somerby's columns about Tim on the air hours after he died last year.

: You called it!!!! nt (none / 0) (#34)
by Radiowalla on Fri Jun 26, 2009 at 12:04:45 AM EST

I would be very surprised (none / 0) (#2)
by Repack Rider on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 08:28:00 PM EST

If an autopsy does not reveal an exotic cocktail of drugs. Not necessarily "hard" or street drugs, more like the Elvis Presley variety, pills to do this or that, taken with no thought of how they combine with others used for other "symptoms."

This guy was denied a childhood and the boundaries normally set by parents, with predictable results. He was surrounded by sycophants and enablers. I do not see Mr. Jackson as the kind of person who would tolerate people who said "No."

I will acknowledge his original set of exceptional musical skills, but he had eroded that talent with a bizarre lifestyle that never respected commonly agreed upon boundaries of behavior.

The most unbelievable statements (none / 0) (#7)
by ruffian on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 08:45:51 PM EST

I'm hearing tonight are the people who say they are shocked this could happen to him. Of course it is always a surprise as to the timing if there is no obvious long disease as with Farrah, but I think you'd have to be really not paying attention if you'd expect him to live to a ripe old age.


That was my first thought (none / 0) (#15)
by Jjc2008 on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 09:26:17 PM EST

And I wasn't being mean or anything. It just does not surprise me because doctors can be "star struck" too and hangers on that enable. Many of the most famous were always able to get whatever they thought helped them, even if it was hurting them.

Then someone on CNN mentioned his bout with anorexia. That can take it's toll on the heart and lungs too.

I was never a big fan but I really felt sorry for him. His mega plastic surgery spoke volumes, to me anyway, about his not even being comfortable in his own body/skin.


Did you miss the fact (none / 0) (#30)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 11:27:59 PM EST

that he had impetigo? A great deal of that plastic surgery was almost certainly to do with that (not all). And then from everything I've heard about it, the nose job was initially botched badly and required several additional surgeries to repair the damage to the structures of the nose, not the cosmetics.

So the plastic surgery he did have was by no means all frivolous.


Sorry, vitiligo (none / 0) (#33)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 11:47:58 PM EST

And I was just reminded of the accident when his head was fairly badly burned during that Pepsi commercial shoot.


MJ suffered from (none / 0) (#41)
by BackFromOhio on Fri Jun 26, 2009 at 05:33:21 PM EST

Lupus; the source of the loss of skin pigmentation.


Says who? (none / 0) (#42)
by gyrfalcon on Fri Jun 26, 2009 at 11:55:56 PM EST

: It was reported (none / 0) (#44)
by BackFromOhio on Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 03:00:18 PM EST

on CBS Sunday am. show; and I know a fellow lupus sufferer who saw MJ at same Lupus specialist -- beginning years ago. CBS show mentioned other conditions as well.

: Part of comments on (none / 0) (#45)
by BackFromOhio on Sun Jun 28, 2009 at 03:01:21 PM EST

MJ's autoimmune disorders came from Depak Chopra this am (CBS)

I read all about it all (none / 0) (#38)
by Jjc2008 on Fri Jun 26, 2009 at 08:03:24 AM EST

My view was this was not a man content with his looks long before the impetigo appeared.
I thought he was a good looking young man and was saddened by his desire for plastic surgery.
Feel the same way about many from Priscilla Presley to Kenny Rogers.

You can disagree and insist those surgeries were necessary. I don't believe it.


: Didn't say that (none / 0) (#43)
by gyrfalcon on Fri Jun 26, 2009 at 11:57:50 PM EST

I said that some of them, maybe a fair number, were not related to just pure vanity and an unhappy attempt to change one's characteristics, although some of them clearly were.
Kindly don't put words in my mouth.

Nancy Grace said he would burn in hell. (none / 0) (#17)
by 1980Ford on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 09:40:54 PM EST

That he would meet his maker.

: Which is why (5.00 / 4) (#20)
by addy on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 09:58:19 PM EST

no one gives a crap what Nancy Grace thinks.

: Amen Don... (5.00 / 1) (#39)
by kdog on Fri Jun 26, 2009 at 08:28:03 AM EST

if there is such a place, I think Grace's slot is locked up and waiting. And if there is a heaven, The King of Pop and the Godfather of Soul are singing duets and cutting rugs.

Donald, (none / 0) (#27)
by Radiowalla on Thu Jun 25, 2009 at 10:34:42 PM EST

Thank you.