Michael Jackson is Dead

Yesterday, the king of pop, Michael Jackson, died.  One of the most elusive and quirky pop stars of all time supposedly died of a heart attack yesterday.  He was currently trying to make a comeback to recoup some of his financial disasters.  Read this story from the Globe and Mail which discusses what was reality and was what invention on the story of the life of celebrity pop star Michael Jackson.

“Of all modern pop legends, Michael Jackson has been the most present, and the most elusive. His final press conference, to announce the concert dates in London that were to bring him back to respectability and erase his debts, was no different.

Hundreds of journalists and fans – many of them not born at the time of his greatest success, 1982’s Thriller – milled about the 02 Centre while the King of Pop kept them waiting for hours.

When he finally did appear, in trademark black wig and shades, and a military-style sequined shirt, he seemed energized and healthy, contrary to reports that had said he was wasting away, or that he needed the help of a wheelchair.

In fact, he seemed so healthy as he spoke his few lines – “I love you all so much … I’ll be singing the songs my fans want to hear” – that a rumour went around that this was not in fact Mr. Jackson but an impersonator he used for public appearances.

A rumour that bizarre would quickly have been batted away if anyone else were involved.
But really, this was Michael Jackson, whose nose no longer looked human, whose best friend was a chimpanzee, who slept in an oxygen tent, who made his children wear masks in public.

American variety show host Ed Sullivan greets the members of The Jackson 5 during their guest appearance on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show,’ December 14, 1969.

Who knew any more what was reality, and what was invention? One thing was clear: Mr. Jackson, for good or ill, was his own invention, and he was responsible if the experiment had gone a little awry.
With the London concerts he looked set to move from the sideshow back into the main ring, to reclaim his place at the centre of pop culture.”

Read more here.

Boyle favourite for Talent finale

The odds are on Susan Boyle to win tonight’s Britain’s Got Talent TV show. Amidst all the gossip and rumours floating around in media land and especially in the press and on the internet, Susan Boyle will be performing. This news article from the most knowledgeable and unbiased newspaper site on the internet, the BBC website.

The shortlisted artists and performers are preparing for the grand final of Britain’s Got Talent. Singer Susan Boyle, from Blackburn, West Lothian, is favourite to win the ITV1 talent show on Saturday night. Ms Boyle will compete against nine others, including singer Hollie Steel from Accrington, Lancashire and dancer Aidan Davis, from Birmingham. The winner of the talent contest will perform at the Royal Variety Show and receive a £100,000 cheque.

Monday’s semi-final became the most-watched episode in the current series with 15.4m viewers, and it is thought the final may be watched by as many as 20m people.  Show bosses have rejected suggestions Susan Boyle might be axed amid fears she was not coping with the pressure of her new-found fame.

Boyle has struggled to handle the attention and thought about quitting the show to escape the attention, Piers Morgan said. She was moved to a “safe house” in the run up to the final, with Morgan revealing she had become so “distraught” at negative media headlines that she almost quit the ITV show.  A spokeswoman for Britain’s Got Talent said Boyle was receiving the support she needed from the show’s producers.

“She just wants to focus on her performance, and the well-being of our contestants is our number one priority,” she said.

When competing for a place in the final line-up, ten-year-old Hollie was allowed to perform again after bursting into tears during her first attempt at Edelweiss.

Hollie was saved by the judges who let her perform for a second time later in the show.

After her second attempt a tearful Hollie said she had enjoyed herself and her performance received resounding applause and a standing ovation from the judges, who praised her bravery.
Judge Piers Morgan said: “That was one of the gutsiest things I’ve ever seen in my life. I couldn’t have done that and I think you should be very proud of yourself.”

Morgan later defended the judges’ decision. He told the BBC: “I think this was a one-off. I think it was the right decision.

“I think Simon (Cowell) was right to get involved and say ‘You know what, this is a family show, we are not going to have this girl crucified on stage like this. We are going to give her another chance.’”

To read the rest of this article on the BBC Entertainment pages, click here.