Michael Jackson: An icon never fades away
0 
I went to Holly Terrace, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in Glendale, CA this May to visit the resting place of the one and only Michael Jackson.
Forest Lawn is peaceful; when I arrived, flowers had been laid at the gate of the mausoleum, and I brought my own to add to them. This was before Lisa Marie Presley ordered thousands of sunflowers to be placed there.
Fans and visitors were not allowed inside. Only family members and friends were let in. But I ask myself, if I had had the chance, would I have gone in? I guess my answer is no. I would not want to disturb the peace of Michael's tomb, but just wanted Michael to feel he is loved by millions, including me.
Fans will gather there today, the first anniversary of Michael's death from homicide due to an anesthesia overdose at the age of 50. Michael Jackson will not feel alone. But his mother, Katherine, and his 3 children will travel elsewhere for a private memorial service – to Gary, Indiana, Michael's birth place.
Michael Jackson has sold over 31 million albums and 14 million downloads since his death. Billboard estimates that his estate has grossed over 1 billion US dollars from music, DVDs, the highest grossing concert movie ever – This Is It, TV shows, royalties, licensing contracts, a new Sony recording deal, memorabilia and Cirque du Soleil shows. People have rediscovered Michael Jackson, and are focusing on his talent and what really mattered, rather than the endless rumors and allegations that surrounded him.
But the afterlife of the troubled King of Pop is still unsettled. His family, his children and millions of fans are still grieving. His heavy debts of about 500 million dollars are still not cleared. His death was ruled a homicide by the LA coroner's office, and his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, is due to stand trial charged with involuntary manslaughter. Joe Jackson, Michael's father, is considering filing a wrongful death lawsuit against Murray, and several family members as well as many friends and fans say they believe there might have been a conspiracy to kill Michael. They are trying to pursue justice for Michael, but who knows with what result.
"He told me several times that he felt that people wanted him gone, wanted him dead," Katherine Jackson said in an interview with Dateline, which will air on NBC today. "He would always say that. And for him to say that, he must have known something. It's just some of the mean, evil, vicious people didn't want him around for some reason. They're greedy."
There are also rumors that his so-called Last Will is a fake, and that AEG Live overworked Michael and forced him to lose weight during his last days, exacerbating his dependence on prescription drugs. During my visits to Los Angeles and Washington DC, out of the people I met, three especially wanted to speak out; his make-up artist, his former spokeswoman, and a fan who was among the last of his loyal following to see him alive. Maybe their interviews will shed some light on this pop icon who will live on forever in music and memories.
Their Stories:
|
|
Jackson wanted to sing at 2008 Olympics "Michael wanted to come to China very much," said Raymone K. Bain, spokeswoman for Michael Jackson. |
|
|
For years, Karen Faye's hands had delicately applied makeup to the face of the greatest entertainer the world's ever seen. |
|
|
Fan: Pressure led to Michael's death She first met him in 2003 in Las Vegas. To de Gosson, he was more than an entertainer; he was an inspiration. |
Go to Forum >>0 Comments