The Michael Jackson action figure

Now, I realize a ridiculous amount of Michael Jackson-related merchandise has been released in the last six months. Most of it is silly, and I'd agree that the music is only thing really worth your hard-earned wages.However, today I'm making an exception for this MJ action figure. I can't help it: You know I'm a sucker for action figures, and this one just looks so much like him.

Jackson, Swift face off at American Music Awards

It's the country cutie versus the King of Pop at this year's American Music Awards.

Taylor Swift comes into Sunday's ceremony with six nominations. Michael Jackson has five. And both are up for artist of the year.

Also vying for the show's top prize are multiple nominees Kings of Leon, Lady Gaga and Eminem.

The American Music Awards honor the year's top-selling artists in the categories of pop/rock, country, rap/hip-hop, soul/R&B, alternative, adult contemporary, Latin and contemporary inspirational. Fans voted online to select the winners.

"The AMAs are like the loose, crazy cousin of the music awards," said rocker Melissa Etheridge, who was to be a presenter on the show, shortly before it began. "They've been around a long time, and they tend to go with whatever is really popular. It's everything. It's a whole big pot all stuck in together, and I love that."

Swift, who has enjoyed a chart-topping year with her crossover album "Fearless," is up for female artist and favorite album in the pop/rock and country categories. She's also nominated for favorite adult-contemporary artist.

Jackson is nominated for male artist and favorite album in the pop/rock and soul/R&B categories for his greatest-hits collection, "Number Ones." The 2003 album surged in popularity after Jackson died in June at age 50.

Eminem has four nominations: Pop/rock male artist and rap/hip-hop artist and album for "Relapse," along with artist of the year. Lady Gaga and Kings of Leon have three nods each. She's up for female artist and album for her debut, "The Fame," and the Nashville quartet is up for alternative artist and favorite pop/rock band.

Other triple-nominees include Beyonce, the Black Eyed Peas and T.I.

Even more than awards, the AMAs are about the performances. That's what AMA presenter Selena Gomez was excited about.

"It's about all coming together and just enjoying music," the teen entertainer said. The performance she was most anticipating?

"Rihanna. I love her," Gomez said.

Etheridge said she was more interested in seeing Lady Gaga.

"I've got to see what she's wearing or what she's not wearing," she said.

More than a dozen artists are set to take the stage Sunday. Besides Rihanna and Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, Green Day, Jennifer Lopez, Lil Wayne, Keith Urban, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige and Adam Lambert are among those planning to perform. Janet Jackson is set to open the show with a medley of songs.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iJzQ5sxrsIT3NGxxIm4wsPXrV89QD9C4TTJG3

Michael Jackson's glove sells for $350,000 at auction

Michael Jackson's famous white glove sold for $350,000 at a memorabilia auction on Saturday, soaring far past pre-sale estimates, while a black jacket he wore during a 1989 world tour fetched $225,000.

The Jackson memorabilia was the highlight of an auction of hundreds of rock'n'roll items, including many not associated with the "King of Pop," who died in June.

Darren Julien, CEO of Julien's Auctions, which ran the auction, called the glove "the Holy Grail of Michael Jackson," and many expected it to sell for far more than its pre-sale estimate of about $50,000.

With the added commission, the final price excluding taxes, ran to some $420,000.

The buyer was Hong Kong businessman Hoffman Ma.

Bidding for the black, strap and zipper-laden jacket Jackson wore during the 1989 "Bad" tour soared to $225,000, more than 20 times its estimate. With commission, the tab came to about $275,000.

Fans and dealers turned out at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York's Times Square for the sale that included a car driven by Jackson, as well as David Bowie's guitar and memorabilia from the Beatles to Bo Diddley.

"I never got to see Michael, and now that he's gone this is the closest I could get," said Jazmynn Moore, 19, a student from Manhattan.

The glove was worn by Jackson when he first staged the famous moonwalk dance at the 1983 Motown 25 television special. The opening bid of $10,000 leaped immediately to $120,000 before peaking at $350,000.

Most of the 80 Jackson lots consisted of items that came from friends and family to whom Jackson had given them, the auctioneer said.

Jackson was somewhat of a collector himself, having paid more than $1.5 million for the "Gone With the Wind" best picture Oscar statue at Sotheby's auction, one of the highest prices ever paid for memorabilia at auction.

The auction house had valued the Jackson collection at $80,000 to $100,000. But Julien said such pre-auction estimates were intentionally conservative to help generate interest. Many of Jackson's items sold for 10, or even more than 20 times the estimates.

Julien's had been preparing for a huge auction of Jackson memorabilia in April that was canceled after an agreement with Jackson, who had filed a lawsuit demanding the return of certain items.

During the promotion for that sale, Julien's had amassed a large database of Jackson collectors from Asia to the Americas, and many of the winning Internet bidders were from Japan or Hong Kong.

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE5AL02A20091123

Janet Jackson blames doctor for Michael's death

Pop star Janet Jackson holds Michael Jackson's personal doctor responsible for her brother's sudden death and has told ABC News that a day does not go by when she doesn't think about her late sibling.

"He was the one that was administering," Janet Jackson said about Houston-based physician Dr. Conrad Murray. "I think he is responsible."

Murray, who was hired to treat Michael Jackson in the months before Jackson died on June 25 of a drug overdose, is currently a target in the manslaughter investigation of the "Thriller" singer's death.

Since June, Los Angeles County coroner officials have said the powerful anesthetic propofol, which is used in surgery, and the sedative lorazepam, were the primary drugs responsible for Jackson's death. Police have referred the case to prosecutors to determine if criminal charges should be filed.

Janet Jackson has remained mostly quiet about her brother's death, but she spoke with ABC television journalist Robin Roberts in an interview set to air Wednesday night on the network's show "In the Spotlight."

"It's been a tough year," Jackson told Roberts, in excerpts posted on ABC News' website on Monday. "You have your days where it's just really -- it's hard to believe. And a day doesn't go by that I don't think about him."

(Reporting and writing by Bob Tourtellotte; Editing by Steve Gorman)

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE5AF4DW20091116

King of Pop Michael Jackson is dead: official

Michael Jackson, the child star turned King of Pop who set the world dancing but whose musical genius was overshadowed by a bizarre lifestyle and sex scandals, died on Thursday. He was 50.

Jackson was pronounced dead at about 2:26 p.m. PDT (5:26 EDT) after arriving at a Los Angeles hospital in full cardiac arrest, said Fred Corral of the Los Angeles County Coroner's office. The cause of death was not known and an autopsy would likely take place on Friday, he said.

Jackson's sudden death had been reported earlier by U.S. media, which said he was taken ill at his home and rushed to the hospital by paramedics who found him not breathing when they arrived.

Known as the "King of Pop," for hits that included "Thriller" and "Billie Jean," Jackson's dramatic, one-gloved stage presence and innovative dance moves were imitated by legions of fans around the world.

He transformed music videos and his lifetime record sales tally is believed to be around 750 million, which, added to the 13 Grammy Awards he received, made him one of the most successful entertainers of all time.

But Jackson's belief that "I am Peter Pan in my heart", his preference for the company of children, his friendship with a chimp, his high-pitched voice and numerous plastic surgeries also earned him critics and the nickname "Wacko Jacko."

Jackson, who had lived as a virtual recluse since his acquittal in 2005 on charges of child molestation, had been scheduled to launch a comeback tour from London next month.

Quincy Jones, who helped arrange the music on the album "Thriller" and produced the "Off the Wall" album, told MSNBC: "I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news."

"For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

SOLD-OUT SHOWS

Jackson had been due to start a series of concerts in London on July 13 running until March 2010. The singer 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.

"Rarely has the world received a gift with the magnitude of artistry, talent, and vision as Michael Jackson," said Neil Portnow, president and CEO of The Recording Academy in a statement.

"He was a true musical icon whose identifiable voice, innovative dance moves, stunning musical versatility, and sheer star power carried him from childhood to worldwide acclaim."

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.

Outside the hospital in Los Angeles about 200 fans and reporters gathered on Thursday, waiting for confirmation of Jackson's death or condition.

Some fans were crying and hugging each other, and others were climbing atop fences to get a better look at a microphone stand where a news conference was supposed to take place.

"I hope he's gone to God, and I hope that he's free of all the troubles he's been plagued with," Tonya Blazer, 50, who said she had been a fan going back more than four decades to his days as a child star.

"I just feel like I'm paying tribute to him," said Dawn Burgess, 42, a fan who said she had posters of Michael pinned to her bedroom wall when she was a child.

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.

New Yorkers and tourists in the city's Times Square were shocked at the news of Jackson's death.

"I don't know what to say. It's sad, it's really, really sad," said Nicole Smith, an 18-year-old student from Brooklyn, New York, in Times Square. "My mother was a fan. I listened to his music."

"I'm shocked. I thought someone was lying to me when I first heard it. I was a fan from when he was a little boy and then he got weird," said Sue Sheider, 51, a teacher from Long Island.

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE55O6AK20090626

Michael Jackson eyes $50 million concert payday

Michael Jackson could take home more than $50 million from his much-anticipated 50-show stand at London's O2 Arena, his first shows in 12 years, according to Billboard calculations.

The concert series begins July 8, and the so-called "King of Pop" has been busy rehearsing at a soundstage in Burbank, Calif., for the past four weeks.

Tickets average about $115 and capacity will be about 15,000 per show, taking the gross for the run to about $90 million. Premium and VIP packages and secondary market sales will boost the gross to more than $100 million. Merchandise sales could bring in another $15 million.

The deal is set up where Jackson shares in net ticket revenue which, according to Billboard calculations, would make Jackson's take on ticket sales alone north of $50 million, though producer/promoter AEG Live would not confirm this.

The company has footed the bill for a $20 million production, and the show layout is coming together.

"Originally we tried to keep the show down to 90 minutes, but Michael has so many must-do songs in his repertoire that the shows now will be two-plus hours," AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips tells Billboard.

Phillips would not reveal details of the production, but one could expect a multi-media experience that would be "the most cutting edge ever employed on a tour. We're using technology that's never been used before in live entertainment."

Phillips says AEG Live is well-insured for the event, and 50-year-old Jackson passed a physical "with flying colors."

Jackson is now working out specific songs, though a top-to-bottom dress rehearsal won't be ready for a month.

"Michael's in incredible physical shape, he's got tremendous stamina, he's been working out aerobically preparing for this, and he is totally engaged," Phillips says. "He sounds like Michael Jackson. He is laser-focused on making this the greatest entertainment event that fans have ever seen."

The Jackson camp is not worried about a possible lawsuit seeking to derail the shows. A music promoter said on Monday that Jackson had previously contracted to perform in July 2010 along with his brothers from the Jackson Five and sister Janet Jackson. The terms prevent him from giving a concert before then.

Phillips said the claims were "completely meritless and have not impacted rehearsals in any way. We have a bona fide contract, the deal's in place, he's performing, we're performing."

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE54A5CY20090513

Michael Jackson concerts may face legal challenge

A music promoter plans to sue to block Michael Jackson from performing in London this year, claiming that a contract signed by the "king of pop" prevents him from giving a concert until July 2010, the head of the promotion company said on Monday.

New Jersey-based AllGood Entertainment Inc contends it signed an agreement in November with Jackson's manager, Frank DiLeo, committing the singer to perform in July 2010 along with his brothers from the Jackson Five and sister Janet Jackson.

Under the agreement, Michael Jackson cannot give another concert until that Jackson Family reunion show, said Patrick Allocco, managing partner at AllGood Entertainment.

AllGood Entertainment sent a cease and desist letter to DiLeo and to concert promoter AEG Live, which has signed Jackson to perform a series of 50 shows at London's 02 Arena starting in July, Allocco said. In the letter, AllGood Entertainment warned that its agreement with DiLeo barred Jackson from performing the London shows for AEG Live.

A source at AEG Live acknowledged the company had been contacted and called AllGood's claims meaningless. The source said rehearsals in Los Angeles are continuing in preparation for the July shows at the 02.

A representative for Jackson did not return calls.

Allocco said his company's plans to sue in federal court come after failed attempts to negotiate with Jackson and reach a deal to allow the London shows to go ahead.

"As of right now we've gotten zero cooperation from anyone, Frank DiLeo refuses to honor our agreement and that's why we're filing a lawsuit by week's end," Allocco said.

AllGood Entertainment said that its one-time concert featuring Michael Jackson is scheduled for July 3, 2010, at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas. The concert would be available as a pay-per-view event over the Internet, Allocco said.

Jackson could make up to $30 million for the show, Allocco said.

"Thirty million for one show is unheard of, that's why we're so frustrated," he said. "Frank DiLeo is standing in our way. AEG has been constantly frustrating our ability to get this show."

Jackson's series of concerts in London also have been touted as unprecedented. AEG has said that, all together, the shows will gather the biggest audience ever to see an artist in one city.

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE54A5CY20090511

Judge denies effort to halt Jackson auction

Hundreds of items from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch may still go on sale after a judge on Friday rejected a bid to have the King of Pop's one-time possessions returned to the singer. But the ruling probably won't be the last word on who ends up with them.

Jackson's production company was seeking the return of the collection of art, MTV Video Music Awards, crystal-encrusted gloves and nearly 2,000 other items removed from Jackson's former home before the sale begins on April 22. They have another motion for an injunction to stop the sale, slated to be heard on April 15.

Auctioneer Darren Julien and his attorney claimed victory after the hearing, saying they do not expect other efforts to block the sale to succeed.

"We have to proceed because we have no choice," Julien said.

His firm, Julien's Auction House, has spent more than $2 million arranging the sale of the Neverland items and could go bankrupt if the sale was stopped, his lawyer told Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brett Klein.

Klein's ruling will "have no impact whatsoever" on the injunction motion, said Alan Gutman, who is representing Jackson's company, MJJ Productions. That hearing will come before a different judge.

Jackson did not attend Friday's hearing. But his father, Joe Jackson, sat in the audience and after Klein's ruling, smiled and shuffled out of the courtroom. He declined to comment afterward.

MJJ Productions sued Julien's Auction House last month, claiming Jackson hadn't authorized the sale of items taken from his former home at Neverland Ranch.

Gutman has argued that an agreement signed by Jackson's representative, Tohme Tohme, and Julien's Auction House is unenforceable under California law.

But Julien's lawyer, Jerry Hawxhurst, said the agreement gave the firm the right to sell the items as planned.

"The contract is clear as well water," Hawxhurst said.

Julien and Jackson's representatives agreed to allow some of the items to go on tour to promote their sale while the lawsuit proceeds.

The singer has struggled to pay his debts since his financial empire began to crumble following his arrest in 2003 on charges that he molested a 13-year-old boy at the ranch. A jury acquitted him of all charges.

Last year he faced foreclosure on Neverland, the 2,500-acre property nestled in the hills of Santa Barbara County's wine country, 120 miles northwest of Los Angeles. He was bailed out by Colony Capital, and months later transferred the deed to Neverland to another entity he partially controls.

Jackson plans a series of concerts in London in July that he has said will be his last in the British capital.

Julien has been entrusted to preside over numerous auctions of famous memorabilia. Some recent celebrity sales have included items once belonging to Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Hope and rare behind-the-scenes footage of Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable on the set of the film "The Misfits."

"The reason he hired us was to do a first-class auction," Julien said Friday. "He worked with us for eight months to do an auction."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hZNgbrgnco68wdSY5q0bFdgp2MYgD97B87G04

MICHAEL JACKSON - JACKO 'TO RIDE ELEPHANT ON STAGE'

MICHAEL JACKSON is reportedly considering riding an elephant on stage when he performs his forthcoming dates in London.

The pop superstar recently announced that he will be embarking on a residency of some 50 dates at the O2 arena from this summer.

According to the Mirror, the eccentric singer has requested an elephant, a panther, snakes, tropical birds and three monkeys for his stage show.

"He hopes to make it the most spectacular gig ever. For the jungle section, he wants to ride out on an African elephant with panthers led on gold chains. Parrots and other birds will fly behind him. If it goes to plan it will look incredible," explained a source.

It recently emerged that Jackson is planning to travel to the London gigs by boat, as he is scared of flying.

Bosses at AEG Live - who are hosting this summer's dates - will now hire a boat to ferry the star to and from the shows.

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/jacko%20to%20ride%20elephant%20on%20stage_1098694

Michael Jackson Sells Out 50 London Concerts

Tickets to Michael Jackson's 50 London concerts sold out within hours of going on sale, concert organizers told The Associated Press.

The residency, called This Is It, will begin in July and continue through February. Jackson has said these are the last shows he'll play in London. Last week, he billed the concerts as his "final curtain call."

Initially, 10 dates were announced, but the number has since ballooned to 50. On Friday (March 13), hundreds of people waited outside O2 Arena in London, where the shows will be taking place, to try to score tickets.

"He is a legend and I love his message to the world," Obi, a 19-year-old student, told the AP. "I've been hoping that he would perform live again."

Tickets for the shows cost between $70 and $105. "I have come 150 miles just for this," Lee Middleton said. "We have made some very interesting friends waiting in line. ... People were singing his songs and dancing."

There is speculation that Jackson will eventually go on a world tour. "This is it! I just want to say these will be my final shows, performances in London. ... When I say this is it, it really means this is it," he said at a press conference announcing the shows last week.

Jackson promised to perform "the songs my fans want to hear."

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1606985/20090313/jackson_michael.jhtml