Emails leak in the legal controversy involving Lloyd's of London, which insured the big 5--concert series that Jackson was supposed to do. Lloyd's is now trying to nullify its cancellation policy based on false claims made by AEG about Jackson's ability to perform.
The documents include Kenny Ortega, the show's director and a close associate of Jackson for 20 years, telling Randy Phillips, AEG Live CEO, that the star was in no state to perform. He wrote: "There are strong signs of paranoia, anxiety and obsessive-like behaviour. I think the best thing we can do is get a top psychiatrist in to evaluate him ASAP."...
Phillips told Ortega: "It is critical that neither you, me or anyone around this show become amateur psychiatrists or physicians."
However Phillips, one of the music industry's most powerful promoters, who offered Jackson a £100 million deal for the shows, had seen the first-hand the depths to which the performer had sunk.
Horrible.
Posts
30 comments:
"There are strong signs of paranoia, anxiety and obsessive-like behaviour. I think the best thing we can do is get a top psychiatrist in to evaluate him ASAP."...
"Horrible"? You just don't know all the facts. Michael was surrounded by the best people in the business.
What? Are they (and you) seriously suggesting a personal friend of Deepak Chopra and Uri Gellar - and who hung out with Elizabeth Taylor - wouldn't be alright in the head?
Whew! Some people,...
I'm not up to speed on the MJ insurance controversy, but have had some experience as an insurance broker in high-value (i.e., performer) risks. I placed a life policy on John Lennon only 2-1/2 weeks prior to his demise, and (in fact), the underwriters had not yet had an opportunity to do all of their intended due diligence.
Coverage was contingent on Mr. Lennon's submission to a physical examination and "certified" provision of other medical-related information. Notwithstanding the fact that these steps had not been completed, my client had already advanced significant sums to Mr. Lennon, and insisted the coverage be effective immediately, subject to re-negotiation or cancellation in the event of adverse findings by the medical professionals.
When Mr. Lennon met his demise, the insurers at first sought to void the policy based on the contingencies that were in place. It was only after some rather strong reminders to the underwriters that it was their delay in finding (and paying for) the professionals they wanted to complete the tests that they relented. Also, a rather blunt statement that if they didn't pay, we would be certain to make sure that everyone in the industry knew that they had weaselled out didn't hurt.
To their credit, once we got past the initial "deny first and ignore anything else" stage in the claims process, payment was almost immediate and without rancor.
I believe to this day that the insurers wanted to keep their own image(s) intact, rather than suffer the fate of actually not paying on a legitimate claim.
In the Michael Jackson situation, I would suspect that the underwriters will be arguing that there were material misstatements in the application materials; thus trying to void the policy. A big question in this sort of "problem" is the fortuitousness (is that a word?) of the event giving rise to a claim. In Mr. Lennon's case, being murdered on the street is usually considered a fortuitous event, but a mental, followed by physical collapse can be somewhat anticipated in the case of Mr. Jackson.
The Show must go on!!!!!!!
Um.... Welcome to the entertainment industry. It's only because there is so much cash thrown about to everyone, the money-train greases so many palms, that it isn't shut down due to its unethical business practices alone, not to mention the accounting!
This kid was abused and exploited his whole life.
No wonder he ended up as he did.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Michael Jackson, King of Pop:
Look on my greatest hits, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
The worst thing that can happen to a person is fame. I have less of an argument with wealth.
Terrible. If we treated a performing dog with this same lack of compassion we would be in jail, accused of cruelty to animals.
Jackson has been treated like a trained animal all of his life. Misused and abused by his 'trainers', just like many child stars who ended up tragic train wrecks. (Judy Garland for one). Yet, because he is a human being, there is no accountability, no recourse.
Treated worse than an animal.
Dust Bunny Queen said...
Jackson has been treated like a trained animal all of his life. Misused and abused by his 'trainers', just like many child stars who ended up tragic train wrecks. (Judy Garland for one). Yet, because he is a human being, there is no accountability, no recourse.
He's dead.
Presumably, the chronology is critical here. Did the promoters, knowing that the star was a basket case, go forward with the insurance in the expectation that the sunk costs could be recovered with a large insurance claim? Ah, the wonders of e-discovery!
Not to sound like an apologist for new ageism, but New Ageism didn't kill him. His doctor did using traditional medication.
That is not to say that MJ wasn't completely f'ed in the head and hung around with crackpots and hangerson, or that this fawning over Jackson didn't ultimately lead to his death.
But it wasn't believing in Uri Geller that killed MJ.
And Crack asked "Are We Going To Let These Vultures Get Away With It - Again?". What is the remedy?
To refuse to allow Uri Geller to associate with anyone?
It's not that I don't agree that Uri is a fraud, I just don't think think you can stop people from believing what they want to and associating with who they like. Michael should have gotten the memo that Uri is a fraud, and maybe he did but didn't care or still believed he could bend spoons, or simply liked him because he was a celebrity that MJ looked up to? Who knows? Nothing we could really do about it though is there.
MJ was the master of himself. He surrounded himself with sycophants who never said no to him. That's what the problem was, not that he associated with Elizabeth Taylor.
There was noone to tell MJ, "you're behaving like an ass, you need counseling". But even if there were, he would simply remove them from his entourage.
As such, MJ was responsible for MJ.
He's dead.
Duh! and your point of posting that was?
"Dust Bunny Queen said...
He's dead.
Duh! and your point of posting that was?"
I'm guessing because this sentence you wrote "Yet, because he is a human being..." indicates he is still alive.
Who cares about a dead junkie?
"There are strong signs of paranoia, anxiety and obsessive-like behaviour. I think the best thing we can do is get a top psychiatrist in to evaluate him ASAP."...
This is Michael Jackson we're talking about. The king of pop. He was desparate to earn some money, so he wasn't going to stop performing. And noone wants to tell MJ he's crazy and they won't let him perform.
And crazy as opposed to what? When was MJ ever not bat shit crazy as an adult? When he was collecting the Elephant Man bones? when he was inviting kids over to his room to stay overnight? When he was living in an amusement park?
I would submit that for someone at that level of fame, and that level of crazy there is no objective measure of telling them they can't do something or need to see a psychiatrist?
Applicable lyrics;
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me
Is there anyone home?
Come on
Now
I hear you're feeling down
I can ease your pain
Get you on your feet again
Relax
I'll need some information first
Just the basic facts
Can you show me where it hurts?
O.K.
Just a little pin prick
There'll be no more aaaaaaaah!
But you may feel a little sick
Can you stand up?
I do believe it's working
Good
That'll keep you going through the show
Come on
It's time to go
This happens all the time in showbiz. The star often needs a little chemical simulation to get up the energy to perform and the doc is there to give him the drugs to make him feel better enough so that he get on with the entertaining. It's sad, but it's show biz.
Michael Jackson wasn't a dog. He was a person, a human.
That means that while we can look to those who were around him his whole life as bad influences, it's important to note that Michael Jackson wasn't a passive victim.
He made choices. He made choices throughout his life that affected how he lived his life, and how he died.
Dust Bunny Queen said...
Duh! and your point of posting that was?
You didn't seem to know it.
Numerous emails show Lloyd’s of London unsuccessfully pushing for access to five years of Jackson’s medical records in order to expand insurance coverage for the concerts.
The insurer also wanted the singer to undergo a four-hour medical exam that would include three doctors, heart monitoring and blood work. AEG’s insurance broker tried to persuade Lloyd’s to drop the physical, according to the email discussions.
AEG suggested that Jackson’s doctor, Dr Conrad Murray, could give an oral recitation of Jackson’s recent medical history instead, the Times reported. Lloyd’s refused.
A Lloyd’s underwriter wrote that repeated requests for written records and details about Jackson’s daily fitness programme were met “always with no response”.
__________
Also known as the Lundegaard, from the movie "Fargo".
Reilly Deifenbach: Mr. Lundegaard, this is Reilly Deifenbach calling from GMAC... How are you this morning?
Jerry Lundegaard: Yah, real good. How you doin'?
Reilly Deifenbach: Pretty good, Mr. Lundegaard. You're damned hard to get on the phone.
Jerry Lundegaard: Yah, it's pretty darned busy here, but that's the way we like it.
Reilly Deifenbach: That's for sure. Now, I just need, on these last, these financing documents you sent us, I can't read the serial numbers of the vehicles on here, so I -
Jerry Lundegaard: But I already got the, it's okay, the loans are in place, I already got the, the what, the -
Reilly Deifenbach: Yeah, the three hundred and twenty thousand, you got the money last month.
Jerry Lundegaard: Yah, so we're all set.
Reilly Deifenbach: Yeah, but the vehicles you were borrowing on, I just can't read the serial numbers on your application. Maybe if you could just read them to me -
Jerry Lundegaard: But the deal's already done, I already got the money.
Reilly Deifenbach: Yeah, but we have an audit here, I just have to know that these vehicles you're financing with this money, that they really exist.
Jerry Lundegaard: Yah, well, they exist all right.
Reilly Deifenbach: I'm sure they do, but I can't read their serial numbers here. So if you could read me -
Jerry Lundegaard: Well, but see, I don't have them in front of me. Why don't I just fax you over a copy...
Reilly Deifenbach: No. Fax is no good, that's what I have and I can't read the darn thing.
Jerry Lundegaard: Yah, okay, I'll have my girl send you over a copy, then.
Reilly Deifenbach: Okay, because if I can't correlate this note with the specific vehicles, then I gotta call back that money.
Jerry Lundegaard: Yah, how much money was that?
Reilly Deifenbach: Three hundred and twenty thousand. See, I gotta correlate that money with the cars it's being lent on.
Jerry Lundegaard: Yah, no problem, I'll just fax that over to ya, then.
Reilly Deifenbach: No, no, fax is -
Jerry Lundegaard: I mean send it over. I'll shoot it right over to ya.
Reilly Deifenbach: Okay.
Jerry Lundegaard: Okay, real good, then.
I'm not a big Michael Jackson fan, in the movie "This is It", made in the weeks before his death, he was amazing. He didn't look like a basket case at all.
But, being a star means you don't have to listen to anyone.
Which is bad news for a star who is deteriorating psychologically, as the detioration itself makes the star less inclined to listen even while the stardom makes it possible to remove anyone voicing things you don't wish to hear.
A once talented child trotted out as an entertainment phenom of his time, who was exploited for decades by his family and his partners to produce a product that stands the test of time, but which took such a massive toll on him mentally, spiritually, and physically, that as an adult, he was basically incapable of managing his own affairs. And yet, the land sharks still hovered waiting to squeeze the last bit of exploitable wealth from a man who couldn't in effect defend himself against them because he spent himself into oblivion and needed the money to help spend himself out of oblivion. He's as culpable of his failures as a human being as they are as culpable of their inability to not exploit this human being for failing to be vulnerable.
After seeing a clip of him rehearsing what would have been his last show, I commented (not unkindly) that he was slower and not as in shape.
Did his fans ever get CRAZY ANGRY at me for even *suggesting* his moves weren't what they once were.
jr565,
MJ was the master of himself. He surrounded himself with sycophants who never said no to him. That's what the problem was, not that he associated with Elizabeth Taylor.
There was noone to tell MJ, "you're behaving like an ass, you need counseling".
So "there was noone to tell MJ, "you're behaving like an ass, you need counseling," but the problem WASN'T that Elizabeth Taylor was there, not telling him that?
Jesus, what a mess your mind is,...
I saw this is it. He couldn't sing. I don't wonder if he panicked and got suicidal about the impending nosedive of his reputation and career. Or if there was some back-room dealings to do something to cash in on that insurance policy.
Death before decline.
Crack wrote:
So "there was noone to tell MJ, "you're behaving like an ass, you need counseling," but the problem WASN'T that Elizabeth Taylor was there, not telling him that?
Jesus, what a mess your mind is,...
Liz Taylor has been around hollywood types her whole life. A lot of them are straight up weird. Michael Jackson has been a weirdo for decades. What is she going to confront him on, that he has the elephant mans bones or a pet monkey?
The thing his he always had those traits, but was at least functional until his death. Despite his wackoness he was able to put out one of the biggest albums of all time and then follow that up with another twenty years of pop albums of varying quality. So, if he's a functional weirdo and that is Michael Jackson you deal with him as he is.
The problem is that it became known or should have become known to many people that he was, in addition to being a weirdo, becoming a drug addict. And for those people who might have stepped in and said "Michael stop!"he would simply cut out of his life.
I don't know that Elizabeth Taylor was in fact a friend of his when he died. She may have already been cut out or ceased hanging out with him.
jr565,
I don't know that Elizabeth Taylor was in fact a friend of his when he died. She may have already been cut out or ceased hanging out with him.
Once again you admit you "don't know," and qualify what she "may" blah, blah, blah, but here you are ASSUMING - for the umpteenth time - that you have the authority to say those who DO KNOW are all wrong because what again? Oh, that's right:
YOU'VE MADE IGNORANT, QUALIFIED ASSUMPTIONS.
God, I'd love to get you in a court of law,...
You did make my blog anyway,..You did make my blog anyway,...
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