Forget Thriller: Off the Wall Was His Best

Michael's daughter remembers dad on 'Ellen' interview

(NEWSER) - In a poignant interview airing today on Ellen, Paris Jackson says that dad Michael once told her, “If I die tomorrow, always remember what I told you.” And, she says, “I took his advice and I remembered everything he told me.” She also related how he influenced her to pursue an acting career, E! reports. “My dad was in the movie Moonwalker and I knew he could sing really well, but I didn't know he could act. I saw that and I said, ‘Wow, I want to be just like him,’” she says. More»

Michael Jackson's doctor gets 4 years

(NEWSER) - Dr. Conrad Murray was hit with the maximum sentence of four years' imprisonment today for his role in the death of Michael Jackson. Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter , will serve his time in county jail rather than prison because he is a non-violent felon, TMZ reports. It is also likely he will serve just half of his sentence. The judge ordered Murray to pay restitution to Jackson's family, but the amount will be decided at a later date; he was also ordered to pay $870 in fines and fees. More»

Two-hour Dangerous film never shown publicly

(NEWSER) - A secret Michael Jackson two-hour tour film is about to become the target of one of the biggest auction battles in pop history. The film was shot in 1993 in Buenos Aires during Jackson's Pepsi-sponsored Dangerous tour. But Jackson was deeply dissatisfied with the project and scrapped the film, reports the Independent . The only known copy is owned by Jackson's Brazilian chauffeur, who could make millions from the film. The driver says the singer gave him the VHS tape as "a reward or bonus" for his "transportation services." He leaked a portion of the video on YouTube until he was stopped by lawyers for Jackson's estate. More»

Plus: Michael Jackson's last words

(NEWSER) - In a Today interview airing tomorrow and Friday, Dr. Conrad Murray finally explains why he didn’t call 911 as soon as Michael Jackson stopped breathing—although his explanation may still leave you with a few questions. Emergency responders wouldn’t have been able to come through the gate, the doctor claimed: "No one is allowed to come upstairs except for Mr. Jackson." When Savannah Guthrie pointed out that Murray could have called Jackson’s bodyguard and asked him to meet them at the gate, Murray said he didn’t want to "leave a full explanation on the phone" and started CPR instead. More»

Michael Jackson tops the list again

(NEWSER) - When you’re a celebrity, dying doesn’t have to mean you stop making money. Forbes offers up its annual list of the top-earning celebs of the past year:

1. Michael Jackson: The King of Pop is in the top spot for the second year in a row, earning $170 million thanks to music sales, his stake in the Sony/ATV catalog, and a new Cirque du Soleil tour.
2. Elvis Presley: The King of Pop is followed by the King of Rock ’n’ Roll, who earned $55 million, much of which came from Graceland admissions. A Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas didn’t hurt, either.
3. Marilyn Monroe: A resurgence in popularity is partly to thank for her $27 million in earnings; for example, she was featured in an ad for J’Adore fragrance, and soon she’ll be getting her own line of cafes.
4. Charles Schulz: The Peanuts creator earned $25 million as his creations found themselves coming into the digital age via a video game, e-books, and a Facebook app, among other things.
5. John Lennon: The Beatles sold 1.6 million albums last year after finally arriving in the iTunes Store, which may have something to do with Lennon’s $12 million in earnings. Also helping? Yet another Cirque show.