Michael Jackson accepted an award at the 1984 Grammy's with his sisters on stage (from left) Rebbie, Janet and La Toya Jackson (AP photo by Doug Pizac)

Janet Jackson during a pre-Oscar party in 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

Pop music legend Janet Jackson is speaking out against her brother Michael Jackson’s doctor.  In an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, Janet said she blames Dr. Conrad Murray for Michael’s death.

She said Murray “was the one that was administering propofol.  I think he is responsible.” 

Although I agree Dr. Murray deserves some of the blame for Michael’s death because he administered propofol, it’s not entirely his fault.  Michael willingly took the drug because he was a drug addict.  He suffered from an addiction to medication, and that’s what killed him. 

He hired Dr. Murray to travel with him and serve as his full-time doctor so he could have easy acess to prescription drugs. 

Michael was a genius in the music industry.  He made the right decisions when it came to his music, his dancing and his videos.  But when it came to decisions in his personal life, Michael was negligent, and that negligence is what killed him. 

In excerpts released by ABC News, Janet also describes how she found out Michael died.

“I was at my house in New York. You know, another day, another morning. And I get a call.  My assistant said, ‘Your brother’s been taken to the hospital. It’s on CNN right now,’   I called everyone.  There’s a line busy or someone wasn’t picking up. I spoke to mother. I spoke to Tito. I spoke to my nephew Austin. I spoke to my sister La Toya. I told them to call me when they got to the hospital, and I remember thinking nobody’s calling me back, so I tried calling again, and that’s how I found out that he was no longer. I couldn’t believe it  It just didn’t ring true to me. It felt like a dream.”

Janet’s full interview will air Nov. 18 on ABC.

(AP Photo/Kevin Mazur)

Michael Jackson had the most lavish funeral service I’ve ever seen.  Actually, he had two services.  The first service was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and the second service was at the Forest Lawn Cemetery  in Glendale.

Unsealed court records show about $1 million was spent on his funeral at Forest Lawn. The estimated cost of the funeral service is listed below (via Billboard)

$855,730 for burial at Forest Lawn Cemetery

$35,000 for burial clothes

$21,455 for a funeral repast at a restaurant

$11,000 for invitations and programs

$15,000 for a funeral designer

$16,000 for flowers

$30,000 for rental cars and security

$1,975 to provide wardrobe for the family

$2,000 to provide wardrobe for the ushers

$3,682 for framing of a photograph of Michael

$959 for embroidery

I was a fan of the King of Pop’s music. His impact on the entertainment industry could never be duplicated.  But I think too much was spent on his funeral. 

He was buried in $35,000 worth of clothes.  They could have went to J.C. Penney and bought him a nice suit to be buried in for $200.  Those clothes are not going to be useful to Michael because his spirit is gone to another place. He’s not in that casket with those expensive clothes. 

Also, the expensive price tag for the rental cars and security is preposterous. The security detail is understandable, but did the family really need rental cars? Couldn’t they have driven their own vehicles?

Last, but not least–the $21,455 repast at a restaurant after the funeral.  Does it really cost that much for one family to eat?  It’s none of my business what the Jackson’s choose to do with their (Michael”s) money. 

But remember his memorial service at the Staples Center in July that was on television? That cost Los Angeles taxpayers $3 million for the lavish affair.  Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa even asked the fans to make donations to the city to help cover the cost. 

Maybe if the funeral services were better budgeted, the family could have paid all expenses, like most families have to do.

The film will only be in theaters for two weeks.  Celebrities who attended the premiere screening include Will Smith, Neil Patrick Harris, The Jackson brothers, Adam Lambert, Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Paula Abdul, Nigel Lythgoe, Anne Heche and Ashley Tisdale, among several others.

A photo gallery of the celebrities attending the premiere is posted below.  Click on the photos to enlarge them.

The ballad will be part of a two-disc set that will be in stores Nov. 10. 

It was recorded during the early 1990s for Jackson’s “Dangerous” album, but the track never made it on the album.  Jackson’s brothers are featured on the song as background singers.

The song sounds okay, but it’s not one of his best efforts.  I assumed it would be an uptempo dance-filled tune that has become Jackson’s signature style. 

However, I’m certain fans will still flock to the stores to purchase the song in Jackson’s memory. 

The song will play during the credits of Jackson’s concert footage documentary “This Is It,” which will be in theaters Oct. 28.

The song is posted below.

Michael Jackson gave an audiotaped interview with his friend Rabbi Shmuley Boteach several years ago.  Last week, “Dateline” NBC aired the taped interviews in its entirety. 

During the interview, Jackson discussed various topics including abuse by his father, racism, living his life in the spotlight and coping with the cruel media.

He also alleges pop star Madonna was jealous of him.  Here’s an excerpt about his comments toward Madonna.

“Madonna laid down the law to me before we went out. ‘I am not going to Disneyland, okay? That’s out.’  I said ‘I didn’t ask you to go Disneyland.’  She said, ‘We are going to the restaurant and afterwards we are going to a strip bar.’ I am not going to a strip bar, where they cross dress. Guys who are, are girls. I said ‘I am not going to go there,’ and I think afterwards she wrote some mean things about me in the press and I said that she’s a nasty witch.”

When asked about celebrities who are jealous of him, Jackson said “They admire you and know you’re wonderful and great but just they’re jealous ’cause they wish they were in your place, wish they were in your shoes.  And “M” is one of ‘em.  Madonna. She’s not a nice, she hasn’t been kind. Absolutely. She’s a woman and I think that’s what bothers her. Women don’t scream for other women. men are too cool to scream for women and i get that. I get the fainting and the adulation and the notoriety but she doesn’t. She can’t get that.”

 The full interview clips are posted below.

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

PART SIX

In preparation for Michael Jackson’s upcoming film titled “This Is It,” Sony Entertainment will release a song of the same title Oct. 12. 

The song reportedly includes background vocals from Jackson’s brothers. 

The film “This Is It” will be in movie theaters Oct. 28.

It features behind-the-scenes footage of Jackson’s concert tour rehearsals.  The film will only be in theaters for two weeks. 

Sony Entertainment also will release a double-disc music package later this year that features Jackson’s greatest hits and unreleased versions of his songs.

The movie preview for “This Is It” is posted below.

Part two of Whitney Houston’s interview with Oprah Winfrey aired Tuesday on ABC.

During the part two episode, Whitney spoke more about her dramatic relationship with Bobby Brown, her drug use, and when she finally decided to end her marriage. 

She discussed what her daughter felt about the drug use and physical abuse, and how her friend Michael Jackson’s death affected her.  

Her daughter Bobbi Kristina also made an appearance on the show.

Click here to view the complete transcript for part two of the interview.

The clip of the video tribute is posted below.

The movie will feature behind-the-scenes footage of Michael preparing for his 50-concert engagement that was scheduled to take place in London. 

Of course, he died before the tour began.  But the footage will be featured in the movie.  The preview of the film aired for the first time during the MTV Video Music Awards. 

The preview clip is posted below.

Jermaine Jackson held a press conference to discuss the Michael Jackson tribute concert (AP photo by Lilli Strauss)

First, Michaal Jackson’s funeral was postponed several times, and now his tribute concert is being postponed. 

The concert was supposed to take place Sept. 26  in Vienna, Austria, but organizers said they need additional time to organize the show. 

Many performers had to cancel their appearance due to scheduling conflicts including Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige and Natalie Cole. 

The show will be moved to London and is scheduled for next summer.

(From left) Rebbie, Janet, La Toya joined their brother Michael Jackson on stage during the Grammy's in 1984 as he accepted an award for Best Pop Male Vocal Performance. (AP photo by Doug Pizac)

Pop singer and actress Janet Jackson is on the cover of the October issue of Harper’s Bazaar magazine, and she discusses the death of her big brother Michael Jackson

During the interview, Janet said the late time she saw her king of pop brother was May 14 at a family gathering. 

She said “We had so much fun that day.  He would laugh so hard, he would just start crying.  I’ve been doing okay.  It’s really hard to believe he’s passed.”

“When I was 14 years old, I would shop for him, washed his clothes, cleaned his room. When Mother would go out of town, she’d say ‘I’m leaving you in charge, take care of Mike.’ I would head home from school, see what he needed, then go straight to the stores.”

Janet told the magazine she learned about Michael’s death while she was on the movie set filming scenes for Tyler Perry’s upcoming movie “Why Did I Get Married 2.” 

The movie will be in theaters April 2, 2010.

Michael Jackson’s tribute concert is set for Sept. 26 in Vienna, Austria, and several celebrities are expected to perform.

Twenty-five celebrities are expected to participate in the show, including Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Akon, Sister Sledge and Natalie Cole.

More celebrities will be announced at a later date. Performers are expected to sing Jackson’s greatest hits.

The tribute concert will be attended by the Jackson family and 65,000 fans.

Meanwhile, the MTV Video Music Awards will air Sept. 13, and the show will feature a Janet Jackson tribute segment to her brother Michael. 

Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey will dedicate an episode of ”The Oprah Winfrey Show” to the late Michael Jackson. 

The show will feature excerpts of Winfrey’s interview with Jackson from 1993.  Winfrey will also share personal details from the interview that never aired on television, according to a press release from Harpo Productions.

The episode will air Sept. 16 on ABC.  Meanwhile, Winfrey’s two-part  interview with pop singer Whitney Houston will air Sept. 14 and Sept. 15.

(from left) Janet, Randy, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon Jackson sat on the front row during Michael Jackson's burial service. (AP photo)

More than two-and-a-half months after his death, Michael Jackson’s body can now rest in peace.  A burial service was held for the singer Sept. 3 at Forest Lawn Memorial Parkv in Glendale, C alifornia. 

The Jackson family and several celebrity guests were in attendance including Elizabeth Taylor, Chris Tucker, Macaulay Culkin, Quincy Jones, Corey Feldman, Barry Gordy, Gladys Knight and Lisa Marie Presley. 

Associated Press photos from the burial service are posted below. Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Pop singer Michael Jackson’s death was officially ruled a homicide. (no surprise there). The Associated Press story is posted below via NewsOK.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jackson’s death a homicide, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press, a finding that makes it more likely criminal charges will be filed against the doctor who was with the pop star when he died and is the target of a manslaughter investigation.

Reports from law enforcement say the Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jackson’s death a homicide.
The coroner determined a fatal combination of drugs was given to Jackson hours before he died June 25 in his rented Los Angeles mansion, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released. Forensic tests found the powerful anesthetic propofol acted together with at least two sedatives to cause Jackson’s death, the official said.

Dr. Conrad Murray, a Las Vegas cardiologist who became Jackson’s personal physician weeks before his death, is the target of the Los Angeles Police Department’s manslaughter investigation.

According to a search warrant affidavit unsealed Monday in Houston, Murray told investigators he administered a 25 mg dose of propofol around 10:40 a.m. after spending the night injecting Jackson with two sedatives in an unsuccessful attempt to get him to sleep.

The warrant, dated July 23, states that lethal levels of propofol were found in Jackson’s system. Besides the propofol and two sedatives, the coroner’s toxicology report found other substances in Jackson’s system but they were not believed to have been a factor in the singer’s death, the official said.

Murray has spoken to police and last week released a video saying he “told the truth and I have faith the truth will prevail.” His attorney, Edward Chernoff, had no immediate comment but has previously said Murray never administered anything that “should have” killed Jackson.

A call to the coroner’s office was not returned Monday.
Murray did not say anything about the drugs he gave to Jackson.