By REUTERS
Published: March 5, 2009
Filed at 1:30 p.m. ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Michael Jackson told the world's press and hundreds of screaming fans on Thursday that he would perform a "final curtain call" in London later this year.

Wearing a military-style black jacket decorated with silver sequins, the 50-year-old made his announcement at the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena where he will play 10 dates starting on July 8.

"Thank you all...this is it," Jackson said.

"These will be my final shows ... performances in London. When I say this is it, I mean this is it. I'll be performing the songs my fans want to hear. This is it, this is really it, this is the final curtain call."

Jackson, still viewed as "The King of Pop" by his fans, has lived the life of a virtual recluse since his acquittal of child abuse charges at a 2005 trial.

Jackson's last album of new material was "Invincible," released in 2001, and his position as one of pop music's biggest acts has been increasingly overshadowed by bizarre behavior, a changing appearance and questions over his health.

Hundreds of fans gathered to catch a glimpse of their idol.

"Of course it's worth it," said Shuhena Begum, who traveled from the central English city of Birmingham to see Jackson. "My whole family is mad about Michael -- he's the greatest," the 21-year-old added.

She said much of the negative press about Jackson in recent years was unjustified.

"People are out there trying to look like Barbie dolls and yet no one says anything about them, but whenever it's Michael it's different."

SKEPTICISM

Even before a single concert has been confirmed, there is widespread skepticism that Jackson is capable of playing a potentially lengthy series of gigs.

British bookmaker William Hill has already offered odds that Jackson would not turn up for a run of concerts.

Jackson is one of the biggest musical acts of all time, with an estimated 750 million albums sold. "Thriller," released in 1982, is the best selling album ever.

If he can pull it off, the string of concerts at a single venue would be both lucrative and less demanding than a full-fledged tour.

But if the comeback fails to materialize, or is regarded as a flop, Jackson would find it harder than ever to resurrect a career that has lain lifeless for so long.

Jackson performed in London at the World Music Awards in 2006, but the much-hyped return was described by critics as a shambles after he sang, in a broken voice, just a few lines of his charity single "We Are The World."

Fellow performer Prince gave his profile a major boost with a successful 21-night stay at the O2 in 2007 which amassed a reported $22 million, and Britney Spears is due top appear there in June.

Jackson began his musical career with his siblings in the Motown group the Jackson 5 and went on release a string of hit solo albums.

A Bigger Dud?.......Jacko was last seen in Walmart..He'd heard boys underwear were half off

i think these will be good shows.  i am not much of a fan but he does have a few catchy songs and back in his hay day he was heck of a dancer.  so, i say, go michael. 

Michael Jackson is the man. If he comes to Florida I'll go in a second. He always put on amazing shows in the past. If you haven't seen it, I strongly recommend picking up the MJ live in Bucharest 1992 DVD. It rocks so hard.

left shoe shuffle wrote on Mar 9^th, 2009 at 5:44pm:



LOL yeah! My friends and I figured out the exact spot where the stunt double came in. You've seen the whole show? It's rocking, isn't? A bit too polished and some lip syncing here and there, but, hey, it's a pop show.

As for Jacko, he really needs the money. Paying off those parents costs more than he ever imagined, even the illegal immigrant ones.

Quote:


i know.  i would rather brag about the 15 night stand the allmond bros are kicking off at the beacon theather in a couple hrs time, but i guess i had to say something about the gloved one first.

owwwwww

left shoe shuffle wrote on Mar 9^th, 2009 at 6:13pm:



haha. Why thank you!

Quote:


wow

no i am not going, but please report back how it was and if you video clip them during blue sky...if they do blue sky that night. 

Holden -
Didja get your 02 tickets?

30 shows.

Maybe a few might actually happen...

left shoe shuffle wrote on Mar 11^th, 2009 at 6:38pm:



nah I can't afford to fly across the world fro a concert. I'll be happy enough catching a show live on TV.

Mr. Sex Drugs Rock n Roll wrote on Mar 14^th, 2009 at 4:23pm:



I guess the more factually accurate question of "whats white and found in a baby's diaper" doesn't work quite as well!

Nowadays he's scarier than he ever was in "thriller".

gimmekeef wrote on Mar 15^th, 2009 at 10:15am:



he's got a phantom of the opera look now

Georgie Jessel must really crack ye up!

Michael Jackson Wants to Be Plastinated

http://www.spiegel.de
03/18/2009

According to media reports, Michael Jackson is considering having his body "plastinated" by Body Worlds founder Gunther von Hagens. The controversial doctor says he could give the wacky pop star "the gift of immortality."

In the music video for his 1983 hit "Thriller," Michael Jackson famously appears as a zombie. Now the eccentric music star could join the ranks of the undead for real: According to media reports, he is considering having his body posthumously preserved by plastination pioneer Gunther von Hagens.

The British tabloid the Daily Star reported that Michael Jackson was planning to have his body "plastinated" by von Hagens, who has himself achieved considerable fame through his successful -- and highly controversial -- "Body Worlds" exhibitions. The paper quoted a source close to the pop star as saying that the singer was "definitely up for undergoing the procedure when the time comes."

In an interview published in the Wednesday edition of the mass circulation German daily Bild, von Hagens lent weight to the report. "I am not allowed to divulge the names of the people who donate their bodies to me due to patient-doctor confidentiality," said the doctor, who shares the pop star's fondness for black hats. "I will only say this -- one of Michael's Jackson's employees has made contact with us."

Von Hagens said that his patented plastination process could continue the process of reshaping Jackson's body that the self-styled King of Pop has pursued through multiple plastic surgery operations. "I could give Michael the gift of physical immortality -- he has already achieved this with his music." Bild speculated that Jackson's nose, which has famously received a series of surgical interventions, was already plastinated enough to not require any further work.

The Plastination inventor offered to show Jackson around his Body Worlds show which will be on at London's O2 arena at the same time as Jackson's recently announced comeback concert series, which begins in July. "I would happily walk Mr. Jackson through my exhibition," von Hagens told the newspaper. "We could talk about a possible pose for him as a plastinate."

Von Hagens' Body Worlds exhibitions show bodies which have been given to his Institute for Plastination by donors who signed up for the process while they were alive and have been visited by more than 26 million people to date, according to the Body Worlds Web site.

Well he used to be cute but he turned himself into a scary monster with all those facelifts. But the dude can sing dance. Too many crotch feels when he sings, a form of public masterbation? Whats he trying to suggest, he likes to play with himself?

Bitch wrote on Mar 24^th, 2009 at 6:34pm:


With all the surgery he's had that's gone wrong, I got the impression he's just checkin' that it hasn't fallen off....

Michael Jackson Postpones First O2 Arena “This Is It” Concerts

Michael Jackson has postponed several of the first dates of his “This Is It” run of concerts at London’s O2 Arena, the BBC has learned. Jackson reportedly needs more rehearsal time before starting the 50-concert run, which was originally scheduled to begin on July 8th. The BBC reports the first concert has been pushed back five nights, while three other early-July shows have been postponed until March 2010.

“We wanted to ensure that all of Michael’s fans attending the concerts get the same quality in staging and level of entertainment,” promoters AEG Live said in a statement. “It is AEG Live’s sincere hope that those lucky enough to have purchased tickets will have enough time to change their personal schedules and travel plans if they are coming from outside of London… We understand the inconvenience this may have caused and for this reason we have secured some excellent hotel deals for Michael Jackson fans traveling to London on these rescheduled dates.”

“Inconvenience” is an understatement, as thousands of international fans were scheduled to flock to the British capital for the opening concerts of the 50-show run. For those who can’t attend the rescheduled dates, AEG Live is offering full refunds for their tickets, but that doesn’t account for people who bought tickets on the secondary market. Turns out those British bookmakers that bet against Jackson performing on July 8th from the onset were right.

Pessimists will pounce on reports that Jackson has been rehearsing non-stop for the tour, and ask whether five days will make a significant difference in his preparation. Or are there bigger problems — like that Jackson 5 tour lawsuit — and more postponements on the way? Rock Daily will have more on this story as we inch towards the (currently scheduled) opening of the This Is It Run.

Here’s the list of affected dates, per AEG Live:

8th July will take place on 13th July 2009
10th July will be moved to 1st March 2010
12th July will be moved to 3rd March 2010
14th July will be moved to 6th March 2010




Shocking...

No video though...

left shoe shuffle wrote on May 21^st, 2009 at 1:35pm:


Wow. Never saw THAT coming. 

The shows are only two months away after all. Absolutely reasonable that he'd need extra rehearsal time.