Michael Jackson is dead (was ...had cancer)
 

breaking news just in..

do you really think his bleaching had anything to do with the cancers , if they really are cancers).

if he knew that this was a risk, and he took that risk, then i have no sympathy for him.

Is it mean that the first thing I thought was "Micheal Jackson still has skin?"

He's a human being, a very messed up human being in a very strange and almost unique situation. I don't think there are many child stars who grow up well rounded.

He may or may not have vitiligo, if he doesn't have it, he has serious body image problems.

Either way, he's now diagnosed with cancer...

A human being with cancer, I think it's hard to be without sympathy for him at any level.

I am aware that we're both grandstanding here.

As for taking a risk and losing, is there no sympathy for the people who take paracetamol/aspirin/etc and suffer a massive allergic reaction? No sympathy for people who die in car/plane crashes? No sympathy for people who lead sedentary lives and then suffer heart attacks? No sympathy for men or women who use chemicals to bleach or dye their hair and suffer complications? etc.

Life is risk, some odds longer or shorter.

Pain is always worth sympathy. (Except for Thatcher)

Not much sympathy.

I think there's something else, that we all know about, that's driving the lack of sympathy. Even if that were true, that's also a sickness...

I hope you're never diagnosed... It's a terrible, terrible thing.

you're absolutely right. on some level i do have sympathy for him.

but its like someone using a solarium. people know there are risks involved, much higher risks than just being out in the sun, yet they continue to do it. do i have sympathy for those people? not really..from a view that they took a risk and it didnt pay off.

do i have sympathy for a human being with cancer, of course i do. its not a good thing. i saw she-lishs grandmother die from breast cancer. she dwindled to a quarter of the woman she was when i met her. so i have been touched by cancer and i know how this feels for some.

i aplogise for sounding so cocky in my OP. it wasnt my intention.

would people be more surprised/shocked that a black man got skin cancer than if it was anybod else?

Just for the record, they haven't said what kind of skin cancer he has and there are several different kinds. Since they are certain he will recover, it is probably basal cell carcinoma which is very common and rarely fatal. Many people develop these lesions without having had their skin bleached so I don't think it's safe to assume that Michael Jackson has it because he underwent a procedure for which there isn't even proof of in the first place. Seems like hype.

I thought Michael Jackson wasn't allowed in the USA. Isn't there some sort of sexual charge against him? On a sort of related note, two dancers who were auditioning for his O2 show said that Michael "glows in the dark"

Michael Jackson's skin glows in the dark

All the shots at Michael Jackson are just terrible. I honestly feel bad that he's been diagnosed. Dunno why.

Really? I think it's kind of funny....

It's pretty sad. I understand why he bleached his skin if he had vitiligo. I never understood his obsession with plastic surgery. He was such a good looking guy before he went under the knife.

The chemical (monobenzylether of hydroquinone) that is most commonly used to bleach skin in Vitiligo cases has been tested in a number of clinical trials. None of the trials showed any cases of skin cancer as a result of the chemical use. It is toxic to the melanin cells but supposedly not to any of the other skin cells.

On a side note Michael Jackson has also been diagnosed with Lupus but that has been in remission.

I wonder though if the combination of Vilitigo, Lupus, treatments that he took for those two conditions and who knows what other drugs he may have used or treatments he may have tried could cause the skin cancer issues. Apparently one of the treatments for Vitiligo is Ultraviolet exposure - THAT could have an effect on skin cancer. Perhaps he tried that before he bleached the skin.

My first thought was, "yeah that sounds about right."

Disclaimer: not to be confused with, "serves him right."

When I was a little kid in the '70's, there were these little gum records (albums) in a sleeve that was printed to look just like the full-sized true album, called "ChuBop's". I have no idea if my memories are correct but I think the "Jackson 5" was among them in addition to artist's like Blondie ("The Tide is High", anyone?!) and Pat Benetar.

That whole lead-in was for me to say that I remember the "original" pre-plastic surgery Michael Jackson. Not the "ABC, easy as 123" days, but the years from then to "Billie Jean", "Thriller" and beyond.

Given that I remember the original black, wider nosed MJ, I have very little sympathy for any side-effect's of his willing butchery of his own face. I also don't buy the "vitiligo" reason. Okay, he started his nose shaving at the exact same time he was "struck" with this disease that also made him look more caucasian? Riigghhhttt!

I have serious doubt's that anything he's had done has given him cancer and I think he has a very good chance of surviving the type he may have. My father has been battling this type for 30 yrs. Believe it or not, my distain towards MJ is because I grew up with him, respected him and have watched the sad train-wreck he has become. I'm not trying to be deliberately snarky but at least Janet and Latoya took a page from Michael and let their noses be after a couple of surgeries.

I just realized that in everyday life, I could give two shit's about MJ or any other celebrity and have no idea why I wrote this much about him. It has to be chalked up to nostalgia...

And now he's apparently suffered cardiac arrest and may be, in fact, dead.

Michael Jackson Photos & Pics | BREAKING NEWS! - MICHAEL JACKSON HOSPITALIZED!

OK, maybe not dead.

Well he wasnt breathing when the paramedics got there...so who knows?

Actually, now X17 is reporting that he IS dead. Too early to tell. If he is, we're probably a few hours away from a press release.

TMZ confirms:

Michael Jackson Dies | TMZ.com

edit: but then again, they're TMZ

Did not see that coming. Wasn't he just talking about doing several shows in London?

Yeah, he was. Farrah this morning and Michael in the afternoon. Does that close out the trio with Ed McMann earlier in the week?

TMZ Reports Michael Jackson is Dead
 

Breaking news.

Whilst he became a figure of fun several years ago, his early music stacks up with the best.

If this is true, I hope people remember that he was a young man who was severely messed up by his upbringing and vast sums of cash, rather than just rip him to shreds because he ended up as a creepy wierdo.

Im trying to remember who (if anyone) died with David Carradine

I suppose it is breaking, for I checked for your story (on Yahoo), and this article was posted just two minutes ago.

LA Times: Michael Jackson hospitalized - Yahoo! News

I give it 2 hours, max, before the jokes start up.

well damn. i thought he was going to tour again...

Coming soon, to a mortuary near you.... :orly:

He's dead.
Michael Jackson dead: reports - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

That's another rehash of the TMZ piece.

There's no independent corroboration yet, but I'm not going to be shocked if it's true. :no:

Yes there is....LA Times has confirmed it

Michael Jackson dead at 50
 

For those who don't know yet, Michael Jackson had a cardiac arrest today and died at the age of 50. Love him or hate him, you've got to admit he had a lot of influence on pop music. I was just a the grocery store waiting in line and the guy in front of me just turned around and told me. I was shocked. Bad week for celebs, Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett, and now MJ. RIP.

It's true, I'm watching the announcement right now on MSNBC.

Oops, didn't see that. Thanks, ShaniFaye.

no problem :) I guess one of the mods needs to change the thread title...again

OMG! I had just heard that he had a heart attack in the car. I can't believe he's gone. :(

The bright side being that there might be a Thriller 2: Electric Boogaloo

CNN still hasn't confirmed, just listing 'multiple reports'

Multiple reports: Michael Jackson dies at 50 - CNN.com

The AP has confirmed...thats good enuff for me

I'll always remember Michael Jackson as the pop icon from my early childhood.

Wow... you know... I've made my fair share of MJ jokes over the years but I agree with what was said above Daniel...

known for the music he created rather than his personal life.... amazing artist/performer! I hope this isn't real.

I'm quite shocked (thought it was a publicity hoax) and truly I hope that he finds Peace somewhere out in the Heavens. With whatever God he believed in.

Sure it was fun making jokes about his weirdness; but to die at 50, well that's pretty sad. I hope the jokes wait a day or two....

I wouldnt celebrate anyone's death - but the allegations of child abuse are a more important part of his legacy to me than his undeniable talent.