Harriet Ryan and Andrew Blankstein are Times reporters who've spent the last weeks extensively covering the Michael Jackson story. As a result, they are well-versed in the details of the King of Pop's life and death, his family and the people who surrounded him and what the future may hold for his children, his estate and his legacy.
Ryan and Blankstein are here to answer your questions about Michael Jackson. Got a question? Post it here and look for the answer in an upcoming video segment on Latimes.com.
Photo: A poster of Jackson is covered with messages from fans at a one-day
tribute at Universal CityWalk. Credit: Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images
Jillian (Barberie) Reynolds of Fox's "Good Day LA" is one of the most recognizable faces in local news. She's also one of the most outspoken, as evidenced by a recent appearance on Howard Stern's Sirius satellite radio show.
Reynolds spoke candidly about not only her colleagues (calling KTTV co-host Dorothy Lucey "very Christian and Bible-thumpy"), but also about her romantic past and present (memorably recalling fantasy play with her husband, Grant Reynolds, including one occurrence when he held a gun to her head).
It's perhaps the most outlandish, but hardly the first, time Reynolds has spoken up about topics her Fox bosses might prefer she avoid. She's previously mentioned her desire to pose nude for Playboy magazine.
In James Rainey's latest column, he wonders if -- especially in the light of a recent layoff in which about one-quarter of Reynolds' colleagues were told they'd lose their jobs and the on-air revelation that is expecting her second child -- it's time for the bad girl of local news to grow up a little. What do you think? Share your thoughts here.
Hours after delivering her faltering rendition of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There" at Michael Jackson's memorial service, Mariah Carey posted an apology on her Twitter page.
"Trying to sing today was basically impossible for me. I could barely keep myself from crying," Carey twittered.
Carey, who was the first to sing at Tuesday's public memorial service, fell out of key early in the song but quickly recovered.
"I'm sorry that I wasn't able to pull it together and really do it right, but I was literally choked up when I saw him there in front of me."
Carey wasn't the only one critical of her act. After she sang, hundreds of viewers flocked to Twitter to weigh in on the pop star's performance:
tommyreuh14: Mariah Carey can't reach high notes no more.
Alfred G. Rava, the San Diego attorney who made headlines after claiming an Oakland A's Mother's Day promotion violated his civil rights -- has a new lawsuit on his hands. This time, it concerns a discount offered by a ski resort for furloughed state workers. According to L.A. Now:
Rava wrote in a June 15 letter to Squaw Valley, in Northern California,
that the discounts it offered over the winter violated state
civil rights laws by giving the employees special treatment. Squaw is
one of many California businesses that has been offering a break to
California’s 200,000 furloughed employees.
Rava has requested that Squaw Valley discontinue the discounts, and he
called on the resort to pay $4,049 for each of his clients, as well as
$2,400 in attorney fees.
Rava's lawsuit is among more than 40 he has filed under California's Unruh Civil Rights Act, which outlaws discrimination based on sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical conditions, marital status and sexual orientation. In 2006, Rava made headlines after filing lawsuits against several baseball franchises over their Mother's Day promotions, which offered free gifts for female fans.
Many fear that if Rava's new lawsuit is successful, it
could open doors for more litigation against other businesses
that offer discounts to furloughed state employees.
After days of speculation, many of the details surrounding Michael Jackson's memorial service have been revealed. The venue is reserved, the date is set, and most fans already have their tickets. Yet, one key question remains unanswered -- who exactly will be paying for all this?
Right now, it looks like taxpayers might be stuck footing the bill.
Organizers estimate that the cost of the event could to run into the millions, but city officials are still unclear over how the event will be paid for. Although Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry said she would love for the Jacksons to help pay the costs of the memorial, she had not heard from them as of this morning.
For many Los Angeles residents, the event is eerily reminiscent of last month's Lakers parade, which caused similar controversy. That event was eventually paid for by private donors.
"This
city still has a $360-million deficit and this is a private event, much
like the Laker parade. Someone in the Jackson family needs to pony up
the money or cancel the event," wrote Dave.
"Sweet, more tax payer funds to support the rich and famous. I love LA. Can the city pay for my funeral as well?" said Tony Phan.
"City
services for any PLANNED event should be paid for by the promoters of
the event. In this case, especially, the promoters will likely make a
fortune in record sales and future events that piggy back onto this
spectacle. There is no reason these people should make money on the
backs of taxpayers. It's no wonder our city is broke!" wrote Pablo.
After days of speculation, the location of Michael Jackson's memorial service has finally been announced ... sort of. Officials say Staples Center looks like the most likely candidate for a public memorial on Tuesday, but the question is who would pay for such a wake?
Several gossip sites around the Web are buzzing with speculation. According to RadarOnline.com, fans who wish to get inside the event will have to purchase tickets at $25 apiece. Memorabilia from Jackson's "This Is It" tour will also be sold at the ceremony, the site claims.
The belief is the memorial will feature numerous guest speakers and musical performances. Jackson's friends and family would be seated on the main floor, while ticket holders would sit in the stands. Video screens would be set up outside the Staples Center for those who don't feel like shelling out money for tickets or those who can't get a ticket.
All of this raises a whole host of questions. Should a memorial service of this magnitude be free? If not, how much should it cost? Where should the money go -- charity, Michael Jackson's children, the Jackson family, the city? And is Staples the best place for it? Should it be somewhere else?
-- Brendan Bigelow
Photo: A child holds flowers outside the gates of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. Credit:
Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times
Apparently the governor thinks that when the state's budget crisis has reached a point at which California will have to issue IOUs, debating cow tails should be temporarily terminated.
Meanwhile, state Treasurer Bill Lockyer thinks that some members of the Legislature wouldn't mind if the whole state is forced to shut down, according to L.A. Now:
Lockyer, a Democrat who was previously California’s attorney general
and leader of the state Senate, said the state has had “an
institutional breakdown.” He sees growing tensions between the
Legislature’s majority Democrats and Republican Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger: “I would not be surprised if the Legislature’s response
to the governor’s muscle is to say: Fine, shut everything down.”
He
aimed some fire at GOP lawmakers, saying he believed there are “a
number of Republican legislators that are gleeful about the state
shutting down,” if that’s where the fiscal crisis takes California.
Surprisingly wily, Schwarzenegger has been using social media tools like Twitter and YouTube to express his point of view during the budget showdown. On Tuesday, he expressed frustration late into the night. On Wednesday, he had some video produced so he could show that, indeed, in the middle of a crisis, California was debating cow tails.
So is this a legislature that is intentionally dragging its feet to force the state to close down? Does the governor have a point? Or is he overlooking something?
A GQ photo shoot featuring a scantily clad Sacha Baron Cohen and a group of high school football players has Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Ramon C. Cortines fuming.
The photos, which will be featured in the July edition of GQ, depict Cohen's 'Bruno' character in little more than shoulder pads and tight red shorts frolicking with members of the Birmingham High School football team. In one shot, Cohen can be seen straddling a player after "tackling" him.
News of the photos angered Cortines, who has vowed to find out who was responsible for authorizing the shoot. "We’ve allowed our students to be used, and not in the most glamorous circumstances, either," Cortines told reporters.
Cortines is not the only one who's upset, however. Many L.A. Now readers have expressed their own concerns about the photo op.
"I'm sorry but the Superintendent is right. This was totally inappropriate and both the principal and the athletic director should be fired. These are people's children. This is far more than PG stuff, and far more serious. Why would a principal lack so much judgement as to allow something like this and not even have veto power over the pictures? I can't believe how little class people have that they would think they are ok," wrote LA Teacher.
As news outlets sprang into action to report on Michael Jackson’s condition June 25, users on social media sites were whipped into a frenzy: He’s not breathing! He’s in a coma! He had a heart attack! And then a Facebook status update, made at 2:21 p.m., that Jackson had died.
Of course, 23 minutes later TMZ would become the first outlet to announce the singer’s death. What came next was a surprise. Before the RIPs and the “he touched us all” jokes, many users began posting jabs aimed at CNN -- more specifically, its irrelevance as a news source. One person joked that TMZ ought to write an obituary about CNN’s death. Another user suggested that CNN spend more time reporting and less time advertising its Twitter page. But what if TMZ had been wrong?
Has technology’s ability to deliver information at such a rapid pace corrupted us? It’s one thing to marvel at how social media sites have helped spread Iranian news we might not have attained due to censorship -- and with such timeliness; it’s quite another to have become a culture that prizes speed over confirmed facts. Have our standards for accountability dissolved?
“I’m not sure it’s technology that’s breaking down the barriers of accountability,” says Jeffrey Seglin, author of The Right Thing, a weekly ethics column published by the New York Times Syndicate. “The National Enquirer broke facts about the O.J. case before other media outlets did. Matt Drudge reported information on the Monica Lewinsky affair that Newsweek had been sitting on.” But that was the ‘90s, before gathering and spreading information was as easy as turning on your iPhone, anywhere, any time. Can you imagine if TMZ’s story spread on Twitter before Jackson’s family even learned of his death? And who was TMZ’s source anyway? The site’s managing editor, Harvey Levin, said he and his staff made hundreds of calls, but he didn't divulge whom they spoke to, which makes one question whether they confirmed the news with a reliable, accountable source -- as is required by the Los Angeles Times -- or if they spoke to someone who was violating patient confidentiality.
Michael Jackson, the reclusive pop star who dominated the pop charts in the 1980s, passed away yesterday after suffering from cardiac arrest.
Many knew Jackson as the King of Pop, the moonwalker whose soulful music defined a generation. But few were aware of Michael Jackson's connection to Islam.
Although he was raised as a Jehovah's Witness, Jackson reportedly converted to Islam in 2008. Jackson's brother, Jermaine Friday -- who converted to Islam in 1989 -- reported that Jackson took a great interest in Islam after being shown books from his trip to Mecca.
"When I came back from Mecca, I got him a lot of books, and he asked me lots of things about my religion, and I told him that it's peaceful and beautiful," Friday said.
Although Jackson never confirmed his conversion himself, Muslim readers from around the world paid their respects to the deceased pop star.
"Abi here from Cape Town South Africa. As a Muslim, I was very touched by his recent reversion to ISLAM. May ALLAH (God Almighty) grant him a high place in paradise... Amen," said ABDURAHMAAN BAILEY.
"He will stay the star #1 in our hearts . You federate people all over the world through your music. May Allah put his rahma in you.Rest in peace From all your Belgians fans," wrote Nanou.
Michael Jackson died Thursday at UCLA Medical Center shortly after he was found unresponsive at his Holmby Hills home. He was 50 years old.
Jackson's musical career spanned decades, and included such hits as "Beat It", "Thriller", and "Billie Jean." Often referred to as the King of Pop, Jackson sold over 750 million albums and received 13 Grammy awards during his career.
In recent years, Jackson's legal troubles and financial difficulties overshadowed his prolific career as a musician. At the time of his death, Jackson was scheduled to perform 50 sold-out shows in London. The tour would have been his first since 1997.
Since the announcement of Jackson's death, hundreds of readers have commented with their personal memories of the King of Pop.
"REST IN PEACE. You and your music will forever. I thank you for all the memories. Your music is my generation. Your music is the greatest. You are the Elvis Presley of my generation. You will be dearly missed," wrote Herman Matias.
"From Germany: Just heard the terrible message before I was going to sleep. One of the greatest artists of the last decades is dead. I grew up with his music, videos and concerts. May he rest in peace, his songs will live on," said Alex.
Michael Jackson has been rushed to a Los Angeles hospital. In the wake of the deaths of Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon, Twitter users are already bracing for the worst:
bopbopperano: i think i've heard about like 6 people dying today, and michael jackson's in cardiac arrest? end of the world.
nimrodfox: I just heard that Michael Jackson was rushed to a ambulance to an LA hospital and that he was not breathing. I hope he's alright.
gabbyhon: Ed McMahon. Farrah Fawcett. Will Michael Jackson be the third in the usual dead celebrity trifecta??
csiworldde: RT @danysnet: Ed McMahon on 23rd, Farrah Fawcett 2today - Michael Jackson cardiac arrest - please dont let him be no.3!!
Dynodelta8: Michael
Jackson Hospitalized...wow. If he dies too, OMG (Ed McMahon, Farah
Fawcett...lets hope it's not MJ, cause death does happen in 3s)
UPDATE: Michael Jackson has died after suffering cardiac arrest. He was 50 years old.
-- Brendan Bigelow
Photo: Michael Jackson greets a crowd in March. Credit: Joel Ryan / Associated Press
Fawcett, who rose to fame with her portrayal of Jill Munroe in "Charlie's Angels," became an icon (and a generation's favorite pinup girl) in the 1970s. Her hair, her relationships -- and yes, also her acting ability -- were the subject of scrutiny.
"In an odd way, even with all that Lycra and bralessness, ["Charlie's Angels"] was
a feminist statement," Robert Thompson, a professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University, told The Times. "This was an hour-long drama with
women as action heroes. They were working in areas of power that
generally we didn't see women in much."
After leaving the show that made her famous, Fawcett sought to showcase her acting skills with roles in the TV movie "The Burning Bed," the off-Broadway play "Extremities" (which was later made into a film) and the independent film "The Apostle."
Fawcett's battle with cancer was very public; she fought for patient privacy even as she was fighting for her life. Just last month a video diary chronicling her fight, "Farrah's Story," aired on NBC.
During his youth, Sanchez was an active member of MS-13. After violating parole in 1994, Sanchez was deported to his home country of El Salvador. He returned to the United States a year later and formally renounced his affiliations with MS-13. He would go on to help organize the local chapter of Homies Unidos, an nonprofit organization dedicated to gang violence prevention.
Sanchez gained notoriety a few years ago when authorities attempted to deport him a second time. Several notable figures came to Sanchez's aid, including former state Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Los Angeles), who testified in his defense. He was eventually granted political asylum after it was found that he had been harassed by the LAPD.
The original L.A. Now article on the arrest has spurred a significant amount of debate. Many readers contended that Sanchez should not have been granted political asylum, and they were critical of gang outreach programs.
"Ho hum. The only ones shocked are those that haven't been reading the paper for YEARS. It's old news that the government is paying "former" gang members to do "outreach." Yes, your tax dollars are funding gang crime and killings. Disgusting and stupid, but no one really cares," wrote windu.
"Silly to think that he actually left MS-13! Silly court to have overturned the deportation and let him stay in the country AFTER he had re-entered illegally! Silly Tom Hayden! Why must we spend tax dollars prosecuting and incarcerating these vicious criminals? I say send them back to their country of origin to rot in their jails! Enough of this!!!! And this is coming from a self-described latino lefty liberal! I am so tired of politicians in general and Latino politicians in particular who don't have the guts to say no to illegal immigration, no to gangs, no to lawlessness because they fear losing face with their latino constituents," said Frankie.
Entertainer Ed McMahon, best known for his nearly 30-year stint as sidekick to Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show," died today at age 86.
McMahon's publicist, Howard Bragman, said the beloved comedian and big-check presenter passed away this morning at Ronald Reagan/UCLA Medical Center. The cause of death wasn't announced, but McMahon had been in failing health for some time.
"Ed has been a rock for 30 years, sitting over here next to me ... . We
have been friends for 34 years," Carson said of McMahon during the pair's final "Tonight Show" taping in 1992. "A lot of people who work together on
television don't necessarily like each other. This hasn't been true ... . We're good friends; you can't fake that on television."
What are your favorite McMahon moments? Share your memories here. Photo: Associated Press
Many knew Jackson as the King of Pop, the moonwalker whose soulful music defined a generation. But few were aware of Michael Jackson's connection to Islam.
Although he was raised as a Jehovah's Witness, Jackson reportedly converted to Islam in 2008. Jackson's brother, Jermaine Friday -- who converted to Islam in 1989 -- reported that Jackson took a great interest in Islam after being shown books from his trip to Mecca.
"When I came back from Mecca, I got him a lot of books, and he asked me lots of things about my religion, and I told him that it's peaceful and beautiful," Friday said.
Although Jackson never confirmed his conversion himself, Muslim readers from around the world paid their respects to the deceased pop star.
"Abi here from Cape Town South Africa. As a Muslim, I was very touched by his recent reversion to ISLAM. May ALLAH (God Almighty) grant him a high place in paradise... Amen," said ABDURAHMAAN BAILEY.