TMZ is or is not jumping the gun by announcing Michael Jackson (the pop singer, not Barry Diller's #2) dead. We'll wait for Us Weekly until we believe it. However: "paramedics responded to a call at Jackson's home around 12:26 p.m. He was not breathing when they arrived." Also: it's a fairly safe bet for TMZ to say that, points out Awl friend Tom Scocca. After all, even if he becomes alive later, he certainly was dead. Update: It's not as solid as their front page, but word inside the LA Times is that he is indeed dead. Also duly noted: "I will always remember this day as the day MJ killed AIM." Update: The LAT says "Michael Jackson is in a coma." This is a total meltdown of news organizations and the medium by which news spreads, which is to say, the Internet. Update: He is confirmed dead by sources other than TMZ. And you know what? Reactions varied!
CNN is reporting that very few people recover from cardiac arrest (different from heart attack), and because of his health issues the prognosis is not good. So I think they're teeing up what they can't actually say.
MJ will live on forever through his music and videos. A tribute to his life: http://tinyurl.com/MichaelJacksonPortal never forget!
Here's CNN's breaking news report:
Who's going to complete our celebrity death trifecta? Farrah, Michael and ______? Quick, someone check on Lindsey Lohan!
Ed McMahon already did.
I already forgot about Ed - our celebrity death news cycle is so short these days!
Not to mention Canada's former Governor General Romeo Leblanc, who died Tuesday.
Twitter's trending topics have MJ and EMcM. But no FF!
I'm just happy that he and Ryan O'Neal were able to tie the knot before he left this terrestrial plane.
I should not be alone right now. I am going to go isolate with a bottle of sangria and some uppers.
My childhood is dead. Long live my childhood.
Steve Perry is still alive. He really shouldn't get on an airplane today.
Bill Cosby better be taking his vitamins.
http://www.abevigoda.com/ffb.php
Ryan O'Neal's ego and need for more Today show appearances would like this news to go fuck itself.
What's the difference between Michael Jackson and Neil Armstrong? One walked on the moon, and the other is dead.
Also, the dead one probably molested a bunch of children.
My friend the paramedic goes "Cardiac arrest? He's dead." CONFIRMED!
I didn't see this happening today.
NPR's "the Two-Way" blog hilariously reported that Michael Jordan died at one point.
A commenter said, "Not to be nit-picking, but don't you mean Michael Jackson?"
Next Stop Neverland.
He touched a lot of lives.
Touched a lot of olives? Oh, sorry.
If Michael Jackson would have known how much love he was gonna get after he died, he would have died a long time ago.
Is there something fundamentally wrong with me that I'm pissed that he died because all possible media outlets will now hold a MJ-athon, rather than covering Iran?
I know. I'm right there with ya.
No, nothing wrong at all about caring about the lives of 70m actual people above the demise of one washed-up pedo has-been. But if you care about Iran more than the deaths of MJ and FF combined then you are a monster. And so am I.
This is a very, very sad day.
for Iranian protestors seeking western airtime, yeah.
Yeah, but Iran will still be alive on Tuesday, when we can care about it again.
Err, well... most of Iran will still be alive, I guess.
It's not like peace will come to the middle east this weekend and no one will notice and drop bombs and start it all up again by mistake.
NOW the "King" of pop label is fitting. Eerie.
Michael Jackson:Farrah Fawcett :: Princess Di:Mother Theresa
Remember Elton John's tribute to Mother Theresa, "Sandals in the Bin"?
This is NOT a good day to be a cherub.
Run, River Phoenix, run!
He was way too old when he died for MJ. I can't think of any cute dead 10-12 year old boys.
Run, Fred Savage's career, run!
Cory Feldman shopping tell-all as we speak.
As will Corey Feldman. (As he masks his total Zeitgeist heat death with bullshit nit-picking.)
Now will everyone lay off Twitter so the Iranians can use it again?
Does this mean his kids get to take those masks off now?
FREE BLANKET!!!
Which nose does he get in the afterlife?
NOT TODAY, ELIZABETH TAYLOR. You hear me, lady? Not today.
I'm not looking forward to the Yurp's first MJ-free day. He was a lot bigger over here and they have a lot more dignity to lose.
Yeah, a lot of my students here in Spain swore up and down to me that he couldn't have been guilty of child molestation ("Black people don't do bad things", explained one young lad).
Isn't that how the DC Sniper got away with it for so long? The common theory was that black people are not serial killers.
I must half-heartedly point out that he was acquitted. He died a free man, albeit one who paid $20 million to one kid and only got indicted because he didn't have the dosh to pay off the cancer survivor. So, yes, probably a weirdo but you can't say he was a pedophile.
I'll just remember the music and delete pretty much everything after 1985 or so. Rest in peace.
Thanks. Well put.
Is anyone else perversely excited to see what Sean Delonas comes up with for Sunday?
i liked some of his post 85 output: black and white, bad, dirty diana...