Michael Jackson died of so called undetermined causes on Thursday in the US. He was 50. Jackson's eccentric personal life, as well as his unexpected death, raise all sorts of questions. Here is my, Michael Jackson FAQ.
Would MJ’s MoonWalk have been easier to do on the Moon?
Well the facts are that the lunar gravitational environment, which exerts roughly put at one-sixth of the earth's pull may seem favourable to soft shoeing, however humans are actually extremely clumsy on the moon. The habitual movements we make while walking on Earth are far too forceful for lunar walking, which is why, even after extensive training, astronauts hop rather than walk. If Michael Jackson attempted his trademark move on the moon, he would fly into the air rather than sliding backward.
Also those space suits make dancing difficult: They don't move with the wearer like a pair of poorly tailored black pants since they are pressurised with oxygen to approximate earthly conditions. While specialised joints improve the pliability of the space suit, flexing your legs on the moon is a bit like trying to bend an inflated football on earth.
However, if Michael Jackson had £1 for every time someone did the moonwalk, he wouldn't have had his financial troubles.
Could he have licensed his dance moves?
This is a difficult one, probably only the more complicated sequences. Since 1976, federal law in the USA has allowed for the copyrighting of "pantomimes and choreographic works" but not of isolated dance steps. So while Michael Jackson could surely have safeguarded the rights to the "Thriller" video choreography, he likely could not have licensed the moonwalk. (Besides, the moonwalk was probably not an original work.) Jackson does hold a patent on the specialised shoes he used in the leaning sequence of the "Smooth Criminal" video.
Michael Jackson's 1983 hit "Wanna Be Startin' Something' " contains the repeated phrase "Ma-ma-se, ma-ma-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa." What does that mean?
Actually most of it means nothing, but the end references an African musical genre. "Makossa" originated on the streets of Cameroon in the 1960s and features a guitar accompanied by a stick-and-bottle percussion section. In 1971, saxophonist Manu Dibango released the song "Soul Makossa" a modernised fusion of the style with jazz and soul as a B-side to an anthem for the Cameroonian national soccer team. After an American label re-released the song, it became an international hit. Jackson then lifted the chant from Dibango's tune for use in "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." (Dibango sued Jackson for copyright infringement in 1983 and eventually reached a settlement with him for an undisclosed amount.)
Who will take custody of Jackson's children?
My initial response, is someone nearly normal I hope!
It's way too early to know for sure what is going to happen.
Jackson family attorney claims that all three children will go to Michael's mother, Katherine. But the three face different legal circumstances. Debbie Rowe, the mother of the two older children, attempted to relinquish parental rights in 2001 but had the order reversed two years later. While this would likely play against her in a court battle, judges are generally reluctant to deny the custody claim of the sole surviving parent.
Jackson's youngest; Prince Michael II (also known as "Blanket") was born to a surrogate mother. If the legal side of the surrogate procedure was handled properly, the surrogate cannot now obtain custody. She would be, legally speaking, a stranger to the child. If, however, her parental rights were never properly extinguished, her claim to custody would ride on a variety of factors, including whether she was Blanket's egg donor. If a custody battle ensues, Jackson's family will likely stress the importance of keeping the three children together.
Breaking News, is that Diana Ross, of the 60s African-American trio known as Diana Ross and The Supremes has begged Macaulay Culkin for custody of Michael Jackson's beloved chimpanzee Bubbles.
Earlier reports stated that Michael Jackson had left everything to his devoted little friend Macaulay Culkin.
Miss Ross who said that she and Michael were so close that he could have been her biological son said that Michael had a lot of pets.
Miss Ross said that another time his pet rat Ben, whom his hit song was named after, tried to kiss her on the mouth while she was eating a cheeseburger.
But even though, most of Michael's 28 pets did give her the creeps, she was always very fond of his pet chimpanzee Bubbles. Ross said that Bubbles got his name from the Lawrence Welk Show, which Michael loved watching.
The good news is that Michael Jackson's attorney Uranus Childs has informed Miss Ross, that Macaulay Culkin has agreed to turn over custody of MJ's pet chimpanzee to her.
Michael Joseph Jackson was born August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago. The son of African-American parents Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson and Katherine Esther Scruse, he was the seventh of nine children. His siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy and Janet. Joseph Jackson was a steel mill employee who often performed in an R&B band called The Falcons with his brother Luther. Jackson was raised as a Jehovah's Witness by his devout mother. Joseph Jackson has an additional daughter named Joh Vonnie Jackson who is actually the youngest sibling of Michael Jackson. The family lived at 2300 Jackson St., near Roosevelt Park; Michael often reflected that he wanted to play with neighborhood children but was rarely allowed because of the incessant rehearsals demanded by his father.
The blog owner changed this comment on 2009-07-04 08:03:29