Michael Jackson
Gossip (Page 2)

The new Michael Jackson album This It It, a 20-track, two-CD set accompanying the release of the movie of the same name, features one of his poems, "Planet Earth."

His poetry is a call to environmental awareness, according to James Bearden, the music supervisor of Jackson's This Is It tour, who told MTV about the singer's theme:

"[Jackson] wanted the world to know this may be it when it came to seeing him tour, and if we don't start paying attention to the world, it will be it for the Earth too."

He's one of the biggest music stars ever, but can MJ hack it as a poet?

Critical reaction to Jackson's prose has been mixed, but generally positive.

It has been called everything from "unsophisticated but poignant" (Globe and Mail) to "hokey at times, but there is a childlike quality that emerges after a few listens" (New York Post) to "vapid" (Toronto Star) and "consider yourself warned" (Time).

Follow the jump to read Michael Jackson's poetry in its entirety:

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The Michael Jackson concert movie, This Is It, originally billed as a two-week-only event, will now be staying in theaters through Thanksgiving weekend.

This Is It led the box-office competition with an estimated $21.3 million in the U.S. Friday-Sunday, upping its five-day, worldwide haul to $101 million.

The film still couldn't dominate Miley Cyrus or Paranormal Activity, but what can you expect. It is rehearsal footage, not even a real movie. Just saying.

Despite its success, This Is It barely came within $10 million of matching Cyrus' Hannah Montana concert movie's opening weekend record ($31.1 million).

Best of Both Worlds, which opened on Friday, also made more money in five days than This Is It (which opened Wednesday) $37.3 million to $32.5 million.

THAT'S NOT IT: Even in death, Michael Jackson remains an enormous draw.

Internationally was another story, though, as Michael Jackson has always been bigger overseas than in the United States, where he isn't exactly small time.

Two-thirds of This Is It's mammoth gross came from the rest of the world, led by the Jackson-friendly environs of Japan, the United Kingdom and Germany.

With four more weeks to go, there's no telling what it will make when all is said and done. But clearly, Jackson's executors have created a movie monster.

According to Sony, the film's $101 million is already a new worldwide record for a concert movie ... beating out none other than Best of Both Worlds, natch.

Paranormal Activity (second with $16.5 million), meanwhile, was the weekend's top-grossing non-Michael Jackson movie, and has now grossed $84.8 million.

Say what you will about Joe Jackson, the old man does not mince words.

The late King of Pop's dad raised eyebrows in an interview with Extra by saying point blank that his son is making a bigger impact now than when he was alive.

“He’s worth more dead than when he was alive,” the 80-year-old Joe said.

Hmm ... Maybe he's the one with the Michael Jackson autopsy picture.

In fairness to Joe, he later qualified that statement by saying “I’d rather have him alive.” Deeply touching words from grieving dad if ever there were any.

Michael and Joe Jackson in 2005.

After This Is It pulled in $2.2 million in just its first few showings late Tuesday night, Joe noted that ”When [Michael] was living, they didn’t show this.”

Well, that's true. That's because it's just a compilation of rehearsal footage from what was to be Michael’s last tour, which would have likely been better.

Joe Jackson admits he was confused about the film's concept at first.

“I didn’t know what This Is It means,” says Joe, who added the film depicted his son “as I knew him best: performing and dancing, entertaining people.”

Joe admits that he gets “very emotional” when he hears MJ’s songs, and cries “when I’m by myself and start thinking about things we went through.”

Then he swan-dives into a pile of money and it's all good!

This morning, rumors surfaced in the UK that a Michael Jackson autopsy picture has been leaked and is being shopped. The "owner" is allegedly seeking $1 million.

Reports say the photo shows the deceased music icon with a shaved head, eyes open, ashy skin, lips flat, makeup removed, eyebrows tattooed, lying on his back.

The autopsy pic supposedly originated from "a high ranking police official" and was passed on via phone to another individual who is now seeking to profit from it.

A British celebrity gossip tabloid editor claims the photo could fetch a $1 million price tag. If it were real, that is, and we're quite skeptical that such a thing exists.

The scandalous Michael Jackson death photo from earlier this year.

So far, no actual autopsy pic has surfaced. But people are obsessed with the late King of Pop, perhaps more now than at any point in the last 10 years of his life.

They will therefore believe what they want to believe, and clamor for every scandalous piece of information - real or fabricated - that they can get their hands on.

In that sense, it's not hard to see why such a rumor would surface and gain traction, even though it is likely untrue, and that people would actually be interested.

Still, do you really want to see a death photo or autopsy photo of Michael Jackson? What's the appeal? Why not just attend a This Is It premiere in your area?

That way, you can get your MJ fix and actually see real footage!

This Is It, the documentary created from footage of Michael Jackson's last rehearsals for what supposed to be a final 50-show run in London this summer, is not a Thriller by any means. But if you're a fan, you'll still love it.

The film, which premiered last night, felt like a trip down memory lane, a riveting live concert, and a behind-the-scenes documentary all rolled into one.

Whatever his private struggles and addictions may have done to him, they aren't evident here as Michael Jackson is vivid, smooth and polished at 50.

When Sony paid $60 million for the rights to 100 hours of rehearsal footage to pare down to two, we still wondered if that could make a decent film.

It did.

When you're working with an unparalleled music icon, that's a plus. A quarter-century later, we see Michael singing "Bad," "Billie Jean," "Wanna Be Starting Something" and other hits, moving just as fluidly as in his heyday.

The music conjures back memories and breaks one's heart. The elaborate sets, 3-D graphics and dancers are also a sight to behold on the big screen.

It is perhaps the portrait of Michael Jackson himself that really makes This Is It worth seeing, however. A perfectionist with a sense of humor, deeply troubled but deeply caring, he was a man who his fans know was not easily put in a box.

The best, and most undeniable thing you can say about Jackson was that he was an artiste. This is obviously the best possible spin on his final days, but nevertheless an honest one. For two hours, it's all about Michael the musician.

No Dr. Conrad Murray, no paternity tests, no drugs, no legal problems.

It's a beautiful thing.

If nothing else, it's a great chance to pay tribute and gaze in amazement one last time at a singer, dancer, icon and entertainer who influenced so many.

This Is It is running only two weeks, though that may be extended depending on how it's received - in 99 countries as of today and 110 by this weekend.

If you aren't familiar with English singer and songwriter Imogen Heap, you will be after this. Performing live on a radio show over the weekend, she covered Michael Jackson's "Thriller" in a way you've never heard it before.

Take a listen below and tell us what you think ...

What do you think of Imogen Heap's "Thriller" cover?

Michael Jackson's 2002 will (his last) has a mistake in it, but despite what some conspiracy theorists (his brother Randy) think, it looks like just that.

A mistake. No harm, no invalidation required.

According to the will, dated July 7, 2002, it was signed in Los Angeles. But Randy Jackson says Michael was in New York City on that date and can prove it.

As a result Randy thinks the signature on Michael's will is a forgery.

But Howard Weitzman, the lawyer for the estate, says the signature is valid and the witnesses saw Jackson sign the thing. The L.A. reference is just wrong.

Michael Jackson signed the will in New York City on the date in question. Whomever wrote L.A. is a witness who simply forgot ... or screwed up. Whatever.

My bad! I meant to put New York!

The bottom line is that the mistake does not invalidate the will, even if Randy is convinced for some reason that it should. It was just a harmless error.

Also interestingly, if the will were declared invalid, MJ's prior 1997 would be the basis for the distribution of his estate. The 1997 will creates a trust.

Just like the 2002 will's trust, Katherine Jackson gets 40 percent for her lifetime, MJ's children get 40 percent and the remaining 20 goes to charity.

So basically, nothing would have changed.

Here's Michael's will if you're interested ...

Dr. Conrad Murray, the personal physician of Michael Jackson and the primary target of the police investigation into the singer's death, is hampered by it too.

He can't take care of his kid as a result, he says.

According to documents filed objecting to a pending arrest warrant against him for not paying his support, Dr. Conrad Murray explains the following crock:

"As a result of the media coverage of Michael Jackson's death, combined with the effects of the recession, [Murray] is simply unable to meet his obligations."

Murray's lawyer says the doctor has no intention to "evade his obligations."

But Murray "is temporarily unable to maintain a practice or obtain employment because of extensive media coverage related to the death of Michael Jackson."

Some of the facts the media is highlighting - such as Murray potentially having helped kill the greatest entertainer of all time - can't be positive PR, no.

The attorney says "one of the reasons he went to work for Michael Jackson was to pay this off" but that he never actually got paid by MJ for his time.

Again, possibly related to Dr. Conrad Murray not keeping him alive.

Murray is asking the judge to allow him to make "minimal payments." Meanwhile, he'll be looking for a job. He should try LinkedIn, like Sarah Palin.

Baby mama Nenita Malibiran (the mother of his 10-year-old son) obtained a judgment last month for $13,311.47 for missed child support payments.

She'd better pounce on those minimal payments while she can even get that much. Murray is expected to be charged in Jackson's death any time.

This summer, So You Think You Can Dance producer Nigel Lythgoe had this awesome Michael Jackson-dance-tribute episode of the Fox hit planned. He even had Paula Abdul putting it together ... until Team MJ nixed it at the last minute.

Whether it was Sony or the [Jackson] family estate, SYTYCD could not get the music cleared legally, as they must to use it on the show. Which is too bad.

Well, Dancing With the Stars will be putting on its own show dedicated to the late King of Pop. The special Jackson tribute will air this Tuesday, October 20.

All Season 9 DWTS pros - including Mark Ballas, Cheryl Burke, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Tony Dovolani, Chelsie Hightower, Derek Hough, Kym Johnson, Lacey Schwimmer, Jonathan Roberts, Edyta Sliwinska and Karina Smirnoff - are on board.

The late Michael Jackson will be honored on Dancing with the Stars.

That's cool and all, except for the fact that So You Think You Can Dance would have done a better job. DWTS' higher ratings probably persuaded Jackson's reps to green light it, but the late music icon himself would probably disapprove.

If he were alive, he'd be hiring his backup dancers out of the younger, hipper SYTYCD troupe (like winner Jeanine Mason) before the DWTS pros in a second.

DWTS' professionals are talented, but lack the unique, eclectic styles and wow factor that has consistently made SYTYCD one of the most fun shows on TV.

We hope we're proven wrong and Dancing With the Stars knocks it out of the park. But it seems like So You Think You Can Dance and its better production/direction, and more appropriate talent, should have been the pick to honor MJ.

Let's put it this way: Which show's cast would do the best job paying homage to Jackson's "Bad" video, for example? We rest our case.

Tickets for the late Michael Jackson’s documentary, This Is It, went on sale September 27, and hundreds of shows around the globe sold out in under 24 hours.

But is it even a documentary? Is it a movie? A concert? All of the above?

“It’s somewhere in between,” says Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal of the film, which consists of behind-the-scenes footage of Jackson rehearsing for his planned comeback concerts at London’s O2 arena, which he died before he could partake in.

There's also his new song by the same name that was just released.

“It’s a movie about rehearsing for a concert that never happened," Pascal said. "It’s heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. It gives you the chills.”

With the October 28 worldwide release of the movie fast approaching, some new Michael Jackson pictures have been obtained by Entertainment Weekly.

Click to enlarge the images below, including MJ's new EW cover ...