Joe Jackson is stoking controversy again. The father of late pop icon Michael Jackson, who died of undetermined causes June 25 at age 50, told ABC News today that his son was not physically capable of performing the 50 shows slated for his This Is It comeback concerts in London. "I was worried about his health because all the shows that I'm seeing—no artist can do those many shows you know, back to back like that," said he elder Jackson, who's been criticized for comments he's made in the wake of his son's shocking death. "I knew Michael couldn't do all those shows." Joe Jackson asserts that the singer initially agreed to do only 10 shows, but that concert promoter AEG Live added dates when the concert series proved enormously popular. In a statement released today AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips acknowledged that tour dates were added, but put the initial figure closer to 31. (AEG previously released video footage of Jackson rehearsing for the concerts just days before his death, moving a bit slower than he had in the past but seeming ready to perform.) Phillips also maintained that with the concerts spread out until February of next year the pace would have been manageable for Jackson. "If [50] was too many, then one would have been too many," he said. The King of Pop's This Is It tour was slated to begin today.
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Comments (1-30) of 90 Add your comment
Helen Keller could tell he couldn’t have done all those shows. The video that was released of the rehearsal proved that Jackson was not up to this at all.
BALONEY. ONE EVERY THIRD DAY FOR 6 MONTHS. IF HE GOT A COLD, THEY GET A RAIN CHECK FOR ANOTHER CONCERT.
PIECE OF CAKE.
THIS IS NOT THE BEIJING OLYMPICS HERE.
I WAS A MANAGER IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IN THE 70S YEARS AGO.
TOURING WILL NOT KILL YOU, BUT CAN CERTAINLY WEAR YOU DOWN, PEOPLE DO IT ALL THE TIME, AND THIS WAS NOT EVEN A TOUR, BUT A VEGAS STYLE SHOW.
AFTER THE FIRST 2-3 PERFORMANCES, HE’SD HAVE IT DOWN LIKE A PICECE OF CAKE.
THIS IS JUST GREEDY JOE PUTTING PRESSURE ON AEG FOR HUSH MONEY.
How is “Joe Jackson is stoking controversy again”? This “news” that Jackson could not have made it through 50 gigs is about 3 weeks old, if not longer.
The old man is just desperate for self-promotion, which is ironic and pathetic, considering MJ’s claims that his dad beat and ridiculed him.
Joe Jackson has got to be one of the most cold-hearted fathers I’ve ever seen. It seems like he doesn’t give a damn about his son Michaels death, to him its just another chance for him to make more money and promote his businesses. I heard yesterday he also wants to manage Michael’s kids and take them on tour as the Jackson 3. Joe Jackson is a heartless, selfish, greedy man and can not be trusted. Rest in peace Michael, free at last.
Joe must be on Drugs!
Joe is the one on drugs
mj was the king.he could have done the shows easily,afterall he was the best entertainer around.period.his dad should be ashamed of himself speaking like that.shut your mouth joe.it gets you in trouble.mj lives forever in my heart………ken
I agree with Kelly, how is he stoking controversy again by stating his opinion that MJ couldn’t do 50 shows? This isn’t the first time I have heard this and by others besides Joe Jackson. I think people are looking for more reasons to hate Joe Jackson.
I think you fans of MJ are on drugs. It’s clouding your common sense. Here’s his father saying he couldn’t do 50 shows and he’s the cold hearted one trying to make money? Morons.
I’ve been saying this all along – there is no way he would have gone through with all of the concerts. AEG would have been lucky to get 10 to 15 shows out of him at best and it would have turned into law suit central like the rest of MJ’s life.
Chuck, I must disagree. Michael wasn’t simply going to stand and sing. The plan was to stage an elaborate show where he would dance during most of the performance. If you factor in Michael’s age, and the fact that he hadn’t performed/toured in years, there is no way he could have done 50 shows in 6 months.
People say stupid things in their grief. It’s so obvious that MJ knew he was circling the drain and probably felt that if he didn’t put himself up to the rigor of a tour, that he would die. He knew the state of his addiction and his desperation. He thought the tour would save his life.
Luvbug, you must really be grieving then because that is a pretty stupid statement.
He was desperate to sober up, he knew he was a goner. Very well informed statement actually.
Yeah, good way to get off narcotics, go on tour and put your body through physical exhaustion every night. Of course he wouldn’t pop any pills to relax. Naive statement on your part.
and you knew he wanted to sober up, right. Knew him personally? That’s why he banned his family from Neverland when they were trying to stage an intervention?
No, he just knew he was a goner and couldn’t keep it up and had to do something, and thought the tour would keep him from dying. I’m sure he didn’t want to quit dope, but he wanted and needed his entourage and all that goes with performing.
His entourage and his hanger-ons are what killed him. You think they actually cared. You make no sense.
“I think people are looking for more reasons to hate Joe Jackson.”
Do we really need more reasons? That bastard robbed Michael of his childhood, anything else he does at this point seems trivial in comparison.
I just pray that Michael’s children will be safe from Joe. Abusers should not be trusted with children, irrespective of their family relationship to them.
“Here’s his father saying he couldn’t do 50 shows and he’s the cold hearted one trying to make money? Morons.”
You’re right, only morons would think that a man with a history of exploiting his own flesh and blood for money, to the point of brutal child abuse no less, would think such a man was cold hearted and looking to exploit the situation.
If only people could be more wise and insightful like JT, the world would be a craptacular place to live in.
Keep joe jackson away from his grandchildren!
IT IS ABOUT TIME EVERYONE STOPPED THIS,ONLY MICHAEL JACKSON HIMSELF KNEW IF HE WOULD HAVE BEEN FIT ENOUGH TO DO 50 SHOWS, HE WILL ALWAYS BE THE WORLDS GREATEST ENTERTAINER,HAVE RESPECT AND LET HIM REST IN PEACE
Anyone with even half a brain could look at Michael Jackson in that press conference announcing this tour, or the last rehearsal footage and see a man who was NOT WELL. Joe Jackson, as much as I cannot stand him, is saying nothing but the OBVIOUS.
I swear Michael Jackson had the dumbest fans in the world and good for him for finally getting AWAY FROM THEM. They expect MJ to be superhuman or Jesus or something. Look, the man was a junkie, and had been for the more than a decade!! He was not fit, unwell and was being propped up by a group of enablers!!! Enablers like this sicko fans who say “MICHAEL WAS THE GREATEST!” knowing damn well he was sick. He needed help, real help, not psycho fans and vultures wanting their piece of him.
Why did AEG take out an overdose clause?? They knew damn well what they were dealing with. And it was a win-win for them. He’s worth more dead than alive, just like Elvis. WAKE UP!!!
You lip sync a few songs, you dance a number or two, have the look-a-like performing most of the time, some smoke and mirrors, and throw in a few more tricks of the trade and you get through 50 concerts hardly scathed. Joe Jackson is controversial and a ratings magnet right now. He’s using the media for attention and they’re using him for big ratings.
he should have
http://www.nowgoal.com/21.shtml
I hate to be crude and/or burst anyone’s bubble, but apparently he couldn’t do fifty shows or even one. He passed away before the tour even started.
Gimme a break. Good on ya Joe. You might be accused of child abuse but you may also have given Michael the best chance he ever had by forcing him to perform. 50 shows! What a joke, wot’s he gonna do for an encore; set his hair on fire, melt his face, change his colour? Well said Luvbug.
So Joe whopped the kids if they got a step/note wrong….get over it! He should have let them play out in the ghetto? What I see now is a fine family of strong adults…they’re not in prison/on the streets. MJ was just a sensitive, gay individual…and he enjoyed to the full the money his music brought him.
Just points out that winning the lottery is rarely a blessing. A young man blessed with talent beats the odds and makes it in the entertainment business. He is then hand picked by a huge producer as the the NEXT BIG THING. It all work out. Biggest selling album in the world. World tours. Billion dollar personal fortune. Then the same personal demons that finished Elvis,Lennon and so many others. Drug abuse, personal excesses and finally – meaningless death. Elvis died in the toilet. Lennon in the street a crime victim. About the same as Howard Hughes. Limitless adulation,power and money. Then you find out you have nothing to live for. Then you don’t.
“Personal demons that finished Lennon…” WHAT? Lennon conquered his demons and beat the game. Being a murder victim isn’t being finished off by demons. Get a clue, BIGGUN