Even as the world mourns the sudden death of the singer who taught a whole generation how to dance, and spawned a million lookalikes, the
Jackson family lawyer and Michael Jackson’s spokesperson, Brian Oxman, claims that they saw his death coming a long time ago.
“This is not something that’s been unexpected... because of the medications which Michael was under,” Oxman reportedly told a foreign news channel. MJ had famously been on painkillers for the major part of his adult life and also had to be checked into rehab to get over his habit.
However, from what Oxman said, in recent times, Jacko took to heavy medication and painkillers to keep him going for the gruelling rehearsal schedules for his upcoming 50 shows for the O2 concert in London, during which he had suffered quite some injuries. “His injuries, which he had sustained performing (sic), where he had broken a vertebra and he had broken his leg from a fall on the stage, were getting in the way. I do not know the extent of the medications that he was taking,” said the lawyer to the news channel.
That Michael Jackson was sweating it out because of the crushing debts he had incurred is no news. His London concert, ‘This is it’, being dubbed as his ‘final curtain call’, was an effort to resuscitate his music career and also pay back his debts. However, the 50 shows that the promoters finally landed him into was apparently not what the King of Pop had signed up for! Earlier this month, Jackson had said outside the Los Angeles Burbank studio, where he was rehearsing for the concert, “I don’t know how I’m going to do 50 shows. I’m not a big eater. I need to put some weight on!” He went on to say, “I’m really angry with the organisers for booking me up to do 50 shows. I only wanted to do 10, and take the tour around the world to other cities, not 50 in one place. I went to bed knowing I sold 10 dates, and woke up to the news I was booked to do 50.”
Following the death of the King of Pop, the CEO of AEG Live promoters, Randy Phillips, who was the man behind the O2 concert, is certain to be asked some questions. An upbeat Phillips had been heard commenting, when asked if Whacko Jacko might get cold feet and not be physically fit for so many shows, “If Mike gets too nervous, I’ll throw him over my shoulder and carry him on stage – he’s light enough.”
CURTAIN CALL
The promoters of MJ’s ‘This is it’ comeback concert must still be in shock. The troubled singer’s sudden death has left them to refund the tickets of the 50-date tour – a whopping $85 million. They had invested $20 million in the tour as well. But the ones in mourning are those who were looking forward to seeing the ailing King of Pop. These are three of them. l“I was crying all morning the day he died. I wasn’t able to go to work or even step out of my house. It was most untimely!”
Harleen Mehta, a senior visualiser in Delhi, who was planning to book tickets to UK for the concert
l“The bottom line is that anybody who bought tickets to the O2 concert was really looking forward to it... counting the days was more like it. However, him not being there has put the whole of Glastonbury into shock and dismay. Just the thought of never having him sing is just unbelievable.”
Manu Pillai, software professional, Glastonbury
l“I cannot start explaining how big the loss is. I had always wanted to see him, even if it was only once in a lifetime. I was this close and then all of a sudden, you get the news that he is no more! I am feeling very f***** up... But may he rest in peace. He’ll finally find the peace that had always eluded him”
“This is not something that’s been unexpected... because of the medications which Michael was under,” Oxman reportedly told a foreign news channel. MJ had famously been on painkillers for the major part of his adult life and also had to be checked into rehab to get over his habit.
However, from what Oxman said, in recent times, Jacko took to heavy medication and painkillers to keep him going for the gruelling rehearsal schedules for his upcoming 50 shows for the O2 concert in London, during which he had suffered quite some injuries. “His injuries, which he had sustained performing (sic), where he had broken a vertebra and he had broken his leg from a fall on the stage, were getting in the way. I do not know the extent of the medications that he was taking,” said the lawyer to the news channel.
That Michael Jackson was sweating it out because of the crushing debts he had incurred is no news. His London concert, ‘This is it’, being dubbed as his ‘final curtain call’, was an effort to resuscitate his music career and also pay back his debts. However, the 50 shows that the promoters finally landed him into was apparently not what the King of Pop had signed up for! Earlier this month, Jackson had said outside the Los Angeles Burbank studio, where he was rehearsing for the concert, “I don’t know how I’m going to do 50 shows. I’m not a big eater. I need to put some weight on!” He went on to say, “I’m really angry with the organisers for booking me up to do 50 shows. I only wanted to do 10, and take the tour around the world to other cities, not 50 in one place. I went to bed knowing I sold 10 dates, and woke up to the news I was booked to do 50.”
Following the death of the King of Pop, the CEO of AEG Live promoters, Randy Phillips, who was the man behind the O2 concert, is certain to be asked some questions. An upbeat Phillips had been heard commenting, when asked if Whacko Jacko might get cold feet and not be physically fit for so many shows, “If Mike gets too nervous, I’ll throw him over my shoulder and carry him on stage – he’s light enough.”
CURTAIN CALL
The promoters of MJ’s ‘This is it’ comeback concert must still be in shock. The troubled singer’s sudden death has left them to refund the tickets of the 50-date tour – a whopping $85 million. They had invested $20 million in the tour as well. But the ones in mourning are those who were looking forward to seeing the ailing King of Pop. These are three of them. l“I was crying all morning the day he died. I wasn’t able to go to work or even step out of my house. It was most untimely!”
Harleen Mehta, a senior visualiser in Delhi, who was planning to book tickets to UK for the concert
l“The bottom line is that anybody who bought tickets to the O2 concert was really looking forward to it... counting the days was more like it. However, him not being there has put the whole of Glastonbury into shock and dismay. Just the thought of never having him sing is just unbelievable.”
Manu Pillai, software professional, Glastonbury
l“I cannot start explaining how big the loss is. I had always wanted to see him, even if it was only once in a lifetime. I was this close and then all of a sudden, you get the news that he is no more! I am feeling very f***** up... But may he rest in peace. He’ll finally find the peace that had always eluded him”
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