Sky News is reporting that Michael Jackson has signed on to take up a performance residency at the O2 Arena in London, England this Summer in an effort to jump start his dying music career. The report reveals that the dates will be announced at a press conference at the O2 Arena and that Jacko himself is likely to be hand at this week’s press conference:

Sky News understands that, after years of rumours, Michael Jackson has finally agreed to perform a string of concerts in London this summer. The 50-year-old will end his exile as a live performer by staging a residency at the 02 Arena this summer, in one of the biggest comebacks in pop history. While the exact dates of the shows are yet to be revealed, Sky sources say that Jackson has exchanged contracts with the venue and is now committed to return to live performance. The first dates of the concerts will be confirmed at a press conference on Thursday at the 02 and it’s understood the star may appear there to make the announcement. A small number of shows will be released initially but more dates will go on sale, emulating Prince’s successful 21 night stay at the venue in 2006, if interest in the shows is as high as promoters expect. It seems inevitable that the concerts, which sources say are the only live shows he is planning, will sell out instantly but what is never certain with Michael Jackson is his behaviour. In his prime he was unquestionably one of the all time greats: a sublime singer, a thrilling dancer and a songwriter whose gifts were such that he wrote the highest selling album of all time in Thriller. However, that peak was a long time ago. Since the 80s Jackson has appeared to be increasingly damaged in every area of his life. The surgery has robbed him of his looks, the eccentricities have robbed him of his cool, the recurrent child abuse allegations (all of which he was cleared of any wrongdoing) and the money worries have clearly taken a huge toll. When Jackson last appeared in London at the World Music Awards in 2006 he was able only to mime to a few bars of We Are The World before leaving the stage. And when he appeared in public in Las Vegas just before his 50th birthday last August he looked weaker than ever, dressed in pyjama trousers he appeared gaunt and frail. It’s long been said that Jackson’s health was the main reason that he had not agreed to stage a comeback tour, with various rumours surrounding the reason for his weight loss. Whether he has been able to work on his fitness to sustain a residency will be one of the key questions ahead of this series of dates. But it may be that Michael Jackson’s finances are now in such a state of disrepair that quite simply has no choice but to go back to work … If he were to emulate Prince’s record residency at the 18,000 capacity 02 Arena then he could play to an estimated half a million fans, which are according to some experts could generate in theory up to £50m. If he will be able to repair his finances or his reputation through this residency remains to be seen but there is no doubt it will be fascinating to watch him. Whether it’s a car crash or a triumph as always with the former child star it will undoubtedly be compelling. Many will be astonished just to see him back on a stage and cynics will say, regardless of contracts, that there is plenty of time for Jackson to have second thoughts before he steps out on the stage of Britain’s biggest arena. Ultimately, as with all the greats, what remains is the sheer quality of the music and Jackson’s best work is up there with the greatest musicianship of the 20th century. If Jackson can reclaim just a little of his genius to do them justice then this residency would be the most unlikely of triumphs. We shall see.

While I find it VERY hard to believe that a guy who looks like THIS will be able to successfully pull off a residency like this in such a massive venue, I must admit that I am very intrigued by the notion. I personally have zero interest in making the trek out to the UK to see Jacko in person for myself but I am curious to know if he can actually pull this off, if indeed this report turns out to be true. I must clarify that I have no interest in having the man crash and burn on stage. I’d much rather he not attempt this venture than to get up on stage and look a fool. BUT, altho I’m not a fan of his by any stretch of the imagination (except for his superb debut album Off The Wall, I’m not a fan of any of his big hits) a part of me would love to see him stage a successful comeback. My gut tells me that his time has come and gone but if he is able to pull off this coup of a comeback, I’m all for it.

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Michael Jackson, the oftentimes scary and very odd eccentric who once ruled the music charts as the self-proclaimed King of Pop, appears to have fallen on hard times and is now resorting to selling off some of his tacky possessions in an attempt to make money. This April, several personal items belonging to Jacko will go on the auction block … this is YOUR chance to own a piece of pop culture history. Admit it, you know you’re DYING to own a pair of Michael Jackson‘s sequined socks, right?

This auction could be a thriller. Michael Jackson’s iconic white glove and more than 2,000 other items from Neverland will go under the hammer in April – including his throne, his Rolls-Royce, three suits of armor, fine paintings, costumes, baubles, massive statuary, awards, furniture and even the gates to the ranch. “Michael Jackson was a collector of everything,” said Darren Julien, president of Julien’s Auctions, which will conduct the sale from April 22 to 25 in Beverly Hills. “We’ve never seen a collection that is as extensive and eccentric as his.” A 1995 portrait of Jacko in Elizabethan dress, holding a crown on a pillow is estimated to fetch $4,000 to $6,000, and the gold-painted throne that sat outside bedroom has an estimated value of $1,500 to $2,500. A 1999 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph limo with an interior the star adorned with 24-karat gold doodads could fetch $140,000 to $160,000. “It looks like something that royalty would ride in,” Julien said. The glittery white glove Jackson wore for his stage performance of “Billie Jean” is estimated to fetch $10,000 to $15,000, and a special-effects robotic Michael Jackson head made for the 1988 film “Moonwalker” could fetch between $2,000 to $3000. Jackson moonwalked away from Neverland after he was acquitted of child-molestation charges in Santa Barbara County in 2005 and never went back. In November, the cash-strapped singer transferred ownership of the ranch to the Sycamore Valley Ranch Co. – but you can bid on its gates, estimated to go for $20,000 to $30,000. The conservative estimate for the total value of all the items on the block is $1.5 million to $3 million. Jackson, who gave his blessing to the auction but kept pieces for himself “that were personal and sentimental,” will get the proceeds except for a portion to benefit MusiCares, a charity, Julien said. There will be a preview of auction items from March 24 until March 29 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square.

Man, this is just sad. I question the assertion that “royalty” would want to be seen in a tacky car that once belonged to Michael Jackson … mebbe Paris Hilton might be interested tho, we know she LOVES tacky-ass cars. If I had my druthers, I’d go for the portrait of Jacko wearing his Elizabethan costume … that shizz would look AWESOME in our guest bathroom! Well, I hope that Jacko is able to make some bank with this sale … it’d be a shame for him to offer up these personal (and fugly) items only to have them sell for a pittance. It’s all just … sad.

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]

Michael Jackson, who has never really been the posterchild for anything resembling healthy living, is rumored to be suffering from a MRSA-type infection that is “threatening to eat his flesh”, according to the British tabloid The Sun. Now, I know, reports like this are usually fabricated and are based solely on the inventive imaginations of tabloid editors BUT, it must be said, if this is true then it would explain a lot of Jacko‘s recent appearance and behavior. That being said, take this report with a huge grain of salt:

MICHAEL JACKSON is suffering from an acute MRSA-type skin infection which threatens to EAT his flesh. The singer has been receiving antibiotics via a drip in a bid to beat the superbug, which sources say has spread throughout his body. Jacko, 50, revealed painfully-inflamed skin on his face and hands as he visited a Beverly Hills clinic where he is being treated. The stricken pop legend may have contracted the infection following plastic surgery on his NOSE, it was feared last night. The 50-year-old Billie Jean singer is said to have a severe “staph” infection, resistant to conventional antibiotics. Experts warned it threatened to develop into a terrifying flesh-eating disorder which could kill off areas of the superstar’s skin and leave him in need of major reconstructive surgery. Jacko has been receiving antibiotics via an IV drip in a bid to beat the condition. But the skin on his face and hands looked inflamed when he was snapped on his way to a Beverly Hills clinic during another week of intense treatment. A source revealed last night: “Michael Jackson has a severe staph infection that he contracted during work to reconstruct his nose. The disease is an MRSA-style infection because it is resistant to conventional antibiotics, so he has been visiting a clinic to get antibiotics via an IV drip. The infection has spread throughout his face and body and is being aggressively treated by doctors. There’s a chance it could turn into a flesh-eating disorder where it begins to kill off his skin so he’s being very carefully monitored.” Jackson was seen twice visiting the same clinic within a week. He emerged with his face covered by dark sunglasses and a surgical mask — and with his hair hidden behind a surgical cap. The usually-pale skin on his hands and face appeared visibly inflamed with red and purple blotches and he appeared to have a severely swollen cheek. US celebrity plastic surgeon Dr Anthony Youn, who has not treated Jacko but has viewed the shocking photos of the star, said: “It is possible that Mr Jackson has a staph infection or MRSA. This is called a ‘super-infection’ because it is resistant to conventional antibiotics. It does look like his skin is red and inflamed and has become infected. Staph infection or MRSA is extremely worrying because it is an aggressive infection that is resistant to most conventional antibiotics. In some worse cases surgeons will have to remove the infected tissue if it dies — leaving the patient needing major reconstructive surgery. It is particularly worrying if it is on the face.” Dr Youn, who runs The Hills Plastic Surgery and Laser Centre and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, said: “Many people in the health-care system can contract this disease via cuts to the skin. “But it is possible Mr Jackson contracted it through surgery on his nose. There are occasions where patients contract the infection during plastic surgery procedures. Doctors try to treat the infection early with antibiotics administered via IV drip — and in many cases the patient can make a good recovery if it is caught early enough.” Jackson’s increasingly frail appearance has prompted speculation about the state of his health.

As I said, you cannot always believe these sorts of reports but sometimes where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Also, I know Dr. Tony Youn (the doctor quoted in this report) who is a plastic surgeon back home in Michigan (my good friend Megan works in his office) and he absolutely knows what he is talking about. Altho, Dr. Youn has never treated Michael Jackson (and is only offering his opinion in a larger, more general sense about MRSA itself) he is very qualified to speak on the dangers of his deadly disease. There is no proof at all that Jackson suffers from this flesh-eating infection but, as I said, if he did it would explain a lot about how he’s been lookin’ in recent months. Whatever is wrong with him, I hope he’s getting the help he requires. He may be a wacky trainwreck but no one deserves to suffer in this manner. So, what do y’all think is wrong with Jacko … is this story really that difficult to believe?

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Yikes! is pretty much the best way to describe a disturbing new photo of Michael Jackson that was snapped this week as the man ventured out in public in Beverly Hills, CA. Wearing his, now, trademark surgical mask and cap, Jacko failed to wear gloves on this outing which meant that he had to show off his badly damaged hands … not a pretty sight:

He’s spent millions, by all accounts, keeping his face lily white and smooth. But perhaps Michael Jackson should have put some of that money towards his hands. Or at least have invested in a pair of gloves. The singer’s fingers and nails appeared to be in a terrible state when he stepped out this week. They showed signs of ageing and a distinct lack of care, with puffy, reddened skin and prominent veins. Jackson, 50, was pictured in Beverly Hills. An onlooker said: “His hands looked very discoloured and skin looked like it was dangling from his fingers. His fingernails could only be described as a manicurist’s worst nightmare.” As usual, the star had covered his head with a surgical cap and mask and a pair of dark glasses before he stepped out. On the rare occasions when his face has been seen, experts have pointed to scarring on his nose and hollows either side of it from cosmetic operations. The ‘stitched-on’ appearance of his hairline has also lent weight to rumours that he wears a hairpiece or has had ‘plugs’ of hair inserted into his scalp. He is also thought to have arthritis. Jackson’s increasingly frail appearance has prompted speculation about the state of his health.

Ye gods! I’ve seen some scary photos of Michael Jackson before but … yeesh, this pic has to take the cake. The poor man looks like he is literally falling apart. It’s such a shame to see how much worse Jacko seems to get from day to day … I shudder to think what could be hiding underneath that mask. Again, I say, Yikes!

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Michael Jackson, fully wrapped from head-to-toe, was spotted out with his youngest child Prince Michael Jackson, II (whom he affectionately refers to as Blanket) on a visit to a medical center in Beverly Hills, CA this week. It’s unclear what exactly the nature of the pair’s visit to the medical center was but both seemed to be in fine spirits as they loaded themselves into their vehicle (well, at least from what we can see thru the veil covering Blanket‘s face and the mask covering Jacko‘s):

As you may or may not know, Blanket got his nickname because MJ had an affinity to cover the child’s head with a blanket at all times of the day, particularly when he was dangling the child over balconies. In recent years, Blanket has graduated from being hidden behind blankets to being hidden behind sheer veils … mebbe it’s time for a new nickname? Also, you can see that an avid fan asked Jackson to sign one of his old record albums which featured artwork that showed Michael Jackson with much darker skin pigmentation — you can understand why that may have been confusing for Jacko. In any event, I hope this trip to the medical center was merely a routine visit and neither one of them is in failing health. When last we saw MJ out and about he was bizzy shopping for his own cds. I cannot wait to see where Jacko and co. will pop up next!

[Photo credit: Splash News]

The always scary Michael Jackson ventured out in public to do a bit of shopping here in LA last night and he really dressed for the occasion. Wearing pajamas under his trench coat couple with a surgical mask, fedora and sheer head wrap, Jacko did his best to remain incognito as he did his shopping. Clearly, he remain unnoticed … tho, those wily paparazzi recognized him as he made his way out of the store with a box set collection of his CD singles in hand:

Just when it seemed Michael Jackson couldn’t look any weirder, he’s outdone himself once again. The singer emerged in Los Angeles yesterday draped in a dark silk veil, black trilby hat and aviator sunglasses for a visit to a Hollywood store. His face, ravaged by years of botched plastic surgery, was hidden behind a green hospital mask and he appeared to be wearing a bouffant hospital cap over his hair. It was a peculiar ensemble even by Wacko Jacko’s outrageous standards. The 50-year-old browsed though a collection of art books during his visit but he apparently was in the mood to reminisce, and settled on purchasing his own music. He picked up a Michael Jackson box set Visionary: The Complete Singles Collection, which consists of 20 discs spanning his entire solo career and sells for around £70. The singer has just signed a year-long lease on a mansion in the swanky Bel Air area of the city, it was revealed this week. Jackson has been staying in the estate for about a month, said spokesman Tohme Tohme, who called the property ‘a little bit more than an average home.’ The lease agreement is for $100,000 a month. The home has seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms and 12 fireplaces. The palatial home, which is nestled amongst trees and shrubbery, also comes with a guest house, a screening room and a cellar, while steps at the back of the property lead to a huge rectangular swimming pool and sundeck. The deal on the lavish mansion was signed several weeks ago, under a heavy-duty confidentiality agreement. Jackson, 50, has relocated to the city with his three children to be closer to Hollywood and the entertainment industry.

Lord … he is so odd. And YOU can be too … click HERE to pick up a copy of the Michael Jackson box set that he purchased himself last night to help fund his monthly lease payments. Now that he will be more permanently living in SoCal, the chances that I may run into him on the streets of LA have gone up exponentially … which terrifies me to no end. OY!

[Photo credit: X17; Source]

Creepy McCreepinstein Michael Jackson stepped out for a bit of book shopping this past New Year’s Eve but couldn’t be bothered to wear clothing, opting instead to throw a trench coat (natch) over his pajamas … while shopping under cover of an umbrella indoors. I mean … it’s Michael Jackson so, yeah, of course he did:

Shoppers at a Los Angeles bookstore got a fright on New Year’s Eve when they spotted a hooded man with a surgical mask under an umbrella lurking amongst the shelves. It was only after seeing his accompanying entourage and the paparazzi waiting outside they realised it was Michael Jackson on one of his ‘incognito’ shopping trips. The self-proclaimed king of pop was completely covered up – bar his eyes and hands – as he perused the shop for picture books. Wearing pyjamas, slippers and a long black coat, the 50-year-old cut a bizarre figure as he was followed around the store by his assistant, whose prime role appeared to be carrying an umbrella for Jackson. Despite the obvious lack of rain or sunshine in the building, Jackson occasionally dipped under the shade of the umbrella, although what he was sheltering from exactly was anyone’s guess. Before updating his literary collection, Jackson had visited a doctor in Beverly Hills, a week after reports claimed he was seriously ill. His choice of clothing and surgical mask did little to dispel recent rumours the superstar is suffering from ill health.

OMG … Jacko is such a nutball. He is the living embodiment of the sort of crazy that Courtney Love spews on her My Space blog. Hello, he is THE text book definition of crazy. Words fail.

[Photo credit: National Photo Group; Source]

Contrary to numerous reports going around that claim that Michael Jackson is in dire need of medical attention in order to save his dwindling life, Jacko himself has released a statement thru one of his representatives in order to publicly refute those claims. Speaking thru his trusted mouthpiece Dr. Tohme Tohme, Jacko calls the claims made by others about his health “total fabrication” and further reveals that Jacko is in final negotiations to appear in both a “world tour and a series of specials and appearances”. HMMM:

A spokesman for Michael Jackson released a statement on Monday denying as a “total fabrication” a report claiming that the former King of Pop needs a lung transplant due to a rare respiratory disease. The statement, attributed to Jackson’s “official and sole spokesperson, Dr. Tohme Tohme” and issued by Los Angeles firm Scoop Marketing, cites an interview with writer Ian Halperin in British newspaper the Sunday Express in which Halperin said Jackson was suffering from Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency. Halperin, who is at work on an unauthorized biography of the singer, also claims Jackson can barely speak, suffers from emphysema and internal bleeding, and has lost 95 percent of the vision in his left eye. “Concerning this author’s allegations, we would hope in the future that legitimate media will not continue to be exploited by such an obvious attempt to promote this unauthorized ‘biography,’” said the statement attributed to Tohme. “The writer’s wild allegations concerning Mr. Jackson’s health are a total fabrication,” the statement said. “Mr. Jackson is in fine health and finalizing negotiations with a major entertainment company and television network for both a world tour and a series of specials and appearances.”

Truth be told, recent picture of Michael Jackson out in public do lead credence to the claims made by Halperin that Jacko is in dire need of medical help … if not of the surgical variety than, IMHO, surely of the psychological variety. It is not a stretch of the imagination, by any means, to think that Jacko is very ill … but, I suppose we have to take the word of his official spokesperson that he is not ill. That said, I absolutely refuse to believe that the claims that Jacko is near finalizing a deal that would put him on a world tour OR that he will be appearing in “a series of specials and appearances”. No way. Even if MJ were able to take on a commitment of this scale, there surely is NOT enough interest here in the US for any of these scenarios to be at all successful. Michael Jackson is just an odd bird, period. I contend that his infrequent public emergences in and around SoCal are pretty much all we’re gonna get from him from here on out. His time has come and gone. I do hope he is not in failing health but the notion that he is planning to stage a successful comeback is laughable.

[Photo credit: National Photo Group; Source]

Just when you thought you’d seen it all when it comes to Michael Jackson‘s odd behavior, he goes and outdoes himself … in spades. Jacko stepped out into public view in LA this week to do some antiquing and was snapped wearing a pair of slippers, a light blue tunic, a head wrap, his trademark fedora hat — and a Zorro mask. Meh, on second thought … when it comes to Wacko Jacko, this sounds pretty standard … behold:

He has never lacked creativity when it comes to fashioning a ‘disguise’. But Michael Jackson’s latest effort is remarkable, even by his standards. With his trademark trilby hat and a black eye mask, the troubled 50-year-old looked a dead ringer for Zorro. However, his lower half was not quite in keeping with the theme. Instead of a cape and boots, he opted for slippers and a bright blue tunic. Intentional or not, one thing was clear; it didn’t work. In fact, if the singer had wanted to escape any unwanted attention, he only succeeded in doing the exact opposite. A crowd of bemused onlookers gathered and watched on as Jackson wandered around the streets visiting an antiques shop. His rather odd choice of outfit was not the first time he has attempted to go incognito … In his hand this time around Jackson appeared to be holding a copy of the reality television show The Jacksons Are Coming, made about his brothers and their move to Devon last summer. Meanwhile, it has also been revealed the singer is arranging an auction at which he plans to sell off some of his personal memorabilia. Among the items on sale is the iconic white glove the star wore in his 1983 video for Billie Jean. The five-day auction will take place in Beverly Hills in April. Auctioneer Darren Julien said that Jackson was not being forced to sell the items rather he was doing it of ‘free will’. Last month he was also taken to court by an Arab sheik, who claimed the singer owed his millions of pounds for pulling out of a music contract. In November he also lost ownership of his Neverland ranch in California.

Um … what the hell is going on with those cardboard babies in the backseat of his car? The outfit is atrocious but, the more I think about it, it’s pretty par for the course … but the babies? That’s really freakin’ weird, y’all. I am so astounded by the way this man operates … like, what can the thought process be that makes him think that going out in public looking like this is normal? I honestly doubt that he does it for the attention (well, mebbe he does it for a little attention) but I cannot understand the why. In the end, mebbe it’s not for us to understand … mebbe it’s more for us to enjoy from afar — very afar. Lawd, he is SO WEIRD!

[Photo credit: National Photo Group; Source]

Michael Jackson, who has in recent weeks decided to come out of the hole he was hiding in for the past few years to enjoy the limelight of the paparazzi flashbulbs, was snapped doing a bit of shopping over the weekend at an establishment called Off the Wall which, as their sign says, specializes in selling “weird stuff” …

… clearly, Michael Jackson is this store’s target audience. It should also be noted that Michael Jackson‘s first album was also titled Off the Wall so … I mean, have you ever seen anything more perfect in all your life? Yeah … he’s weird.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]