Did Michael Jackson Fake His Death?

[aastrotech]

Was a positive I.D. done on the body e.g. fingerprint comparison to his O.C.arrest record?

Given his past history of disguise e.g. masking his kids and his strange appearance which could have been makeup and appliances he has (had?) an obvious desire for anonymity.

If his bizzare public appearance was makeup he could take it off and no one would recognise him. You might say "that looks kind of like Michael Jackson" but you would never say "that's him" if you saw him and he looked normal.

If anyone had the apparent will, means and motive for faking his death it would be Michael Jackson.

[kleindoofy]

Oh get off it.

Please take that to godlikeproductions.

[Tucson_Tim]

Please make it stop.

[eric_marsh]

I heard from a reliable source that he's hanging with Elvis

[Nowhere Man]

Michael and Elvis are working as busboys at Ambrose Bierce's Get Away From It All Lodge in Mexico. Bigfoot is the night manager.

Fred

[raptorthang]

They didn't use fingerprints....they used a nose print. The coroner isn't releasing details but word has it the nose match was was closer to that of a blob of silly putty than that of homo sapiens.

"Let's see...wallet, nose, car keys, anestheseoloist. cell phone...yup, all ready to go"

[Nowhere Man]

Oh, yeah... and Judge Crater is the house detective.

Fred

[sarongsong]

...You know how this site works. You are not going to get anywhere with this sort of thing...If you don't like it leave...
BAUT (http://www.bautforum.com/1490597-post6.html):eek:

[LaurelHS]

Was a positive I.D. done on the body e.g. fingerprint comparison to his O.C.arrest record?

Given his past history of disguise e.g. masking his kids and his strange appearance which could have been makeup and appliances he has (had?) an obvious desire for anonymity.

If his bizzare public appearance was makeup he could take it off and no one would recognise him. You might say "that looks kind of like Michael Jackson" but you would never say "that's him" if you saw him and he looked normal.

If anyone had the apparent will, means and motive for faking his death it would be Michael Jackson.

Isn't fingerprinting a standard part of an autopsy unless the body is severely decomposed?

[Chuck]

All celebrities fake their own deaths. They're given secret immortality drugs and new identities. No famous person has died in centuries.

[NosePicker]

Jackson didn't fake his death. He was dying for about 20 years before the grim reaper finally made off with him in finality. His autopsy matched several of his later photos I've seen of him despite his efforts to hide the grim facts. If you look at his hands in later photos, you can tell disease was taking a toll on him.

[Gandalf223]

I'm pretty sure I saw Michael and Elvis last night.

[pzkpfw]

This whole thread is silly and I've been wondering if it should be closed. But the last post (which I've moved out) crossed a line.

Thread closed pending moderator discussion. I've reported this thread to alert the other mods.

Edit to add:

OK thread open again. Please everyone take it easy. Don't turn it into a bashing the dead, thread.

And Raptorthang - you should have known that what you posted (the post I removed from this thread) was specifically (i.e. no grey areas) wrong. Not again please.

[Chuck]

What bashing of the dead? He's not actually dead, remember?

[Gandalf223]

This whole thread is silly and I've been wondering if it should be closed.

Silly, yes; to the point of absurdity. But we all knew (thanks to three decades of Elvis sightings) that this idea was bound to come up.

[Celestial Mechanic]

Oh, yeah... and Judge Crater is the house detective. -- Fred
And Amelia Earhart flies the private jet that brings celebrities to the lodge. :D

[Daffy]

Morbid thought...but can you imagine the reaction of some future archeologist who happened to dig up his coffin? It would be a pile of bones and plastic...I wonder what their theory would be to account for it?

[Gemini]

Morbid thought...but can you imagine the reaction of some future archeologist who happened to dig up his coffin? It would be a pile of bones and plastic...I wonder what their theory would be to account for it?

He was a Cyborg?

[Daffy]

He was a Cyborg?

I can see it now: "Civilization's first halting attempt at a human cyborg." Who knows? Maybe it's a legacy MJ would have enjoyed.

[thoth II]

If his bizzare public appearance was makeup he could take it off and no one would recognise him. You might say "that looks kind of like Michael Jackson" but you would never say "that's him" if you saw him and he looked normal.

If anyone had the apparent will, means and motive for faking his death it would be Michael Jackson.

It really looked like him to me.

I doubt he would do it now with a 50 city tour coming up. They showed videos of him warming up for the tour on Tues. before his death, and he looked in top form. It isn't believable he'd fake it now with him revved up for this tour.

[tashirosgt]

I don't know why the trite idea that Mr. Jackson faked his death merits discussion in the same forum that is holding important discussions on the energy machine of Joseph Newman. It is disrespectful. Furthermore it should be obvious that "Michael" Jackson did not fake his death because there was and is no "Michael" Jackson. Like many celebrity figures, "Michael" Jackson was the creation of an entertainment conglomerate and the character was played by several actors and musicians over the course of its career. Whether the last actor that had this role was dismissed or murdered or caused his own demise through unfortunate personal choices can be debated elsewhere.

( I have stated my opinion about smileys in another thread.)

[Daffy]

Maybe if they open his coffin they'll find Paul McCartney and Jimmy Hoffa. :)

[Gillianren]

Oh, yeah... and Judge Crater is the house detective.

May I compliment you on this reference? Nicely obscure.

Actually, I just last night finished a book about Ivar Kreuger, "the Match King" from the '20s and '30s, and he supposedly faked his own death, too. So one imagines he's in charge of finances for all of them. They'd just better be careful. Get detailed statements, is my advice.

[Piano Paul]

While I won't speak ill of the dead, I won't go so far as to deify the dead, either. Having said that, the question is "Did Michael Jackson fake his death?" The answer is "I don't know." Could he have? Given the resources available to him and the connections he is (was?) bound to have made over the years, I would state that almost certainly he could have faked his death? Did he? I don't think so. I don't see an advantage in pretending to be dead and then coming back to life, and besides, the size of the conspiracy (Al Sharpton? Brooke Shields?) would be incredibly large. Finally, why would anyone put his children through that? No, I think it's most likely (following Occam's razor) that what appears to have happened, actually did happen. Michael Jackson died at the relatively young age of 50 from causes unstated (so far). That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

[Paul Beardsley]

Silly, yes; to the point of absurdity. But we all knew (thanks to three decades of Elvis sightings) that this idea was bound to come up.

Okay, but is BAUT really the place for it? Is there nowhere else on the Internet where people can post morbid, evidence-free fantasies?

[tashirosgt]

Michael Jackson KILLED BY OCCAMS RAZOR! Now, we know.

[aastrotech]

The question still remains. Can anyone cite a reporter asking the coroner if a positive I.D. fingerprint comparison with his O.C. arrest record done?

[Paul Beardsley]

The question still remains. Can anyone cite a reporter asking the coroner if a positive I.D. fingerprint comparison with his O.C. arrest record done?

Let it remain.

[Argos]

Seeing the suffering of his children, he would have to be a real monster to do it. Unless the suffering was fake too.

[korjik]

Michael Jackson KILLED BY OCCAMS RAZOR! Now, we know.

Is that really the simplest explanation?

[Paul Beardsley]

Is that really the simplest explanation?

Yes! Occan was resurrected by Elizabethan physician John Dee. He went on to become Jack the Ripper. The rest is too obvious to spell out.

[korjik]

Yes! Occan was resurrected by Elizabethan physician John Dee. He went on to become Jack the Ripper. The rest is too obvious to spell out.

I am confused with one point tho. Where do the Space Aliens come in to this?

[Tucson_Tim]

If anyone had the apparent will, means and motive for faking his death it would be Michael Jackson.

I agree he had the means. I don't believe he had the will and what was his apparent motive again?

[Trantor]

I actually read that he was spotted in Mexico City over the weekend! Several of his fans swear that it was him. Now I wonder if people will leave free tickets for him at various concerts or sporting events, as they did after Elvis died.:)

[kleindoofy]

The question still remains. ...
No it doesn't.

The question was stupid bull crap to begin with, and that's all it remains to be.

... Can anyone cite a reporter asking the coroner ...
What on earth do reporters asking anybody anything have to do with anything at all?

Reporters?

Oh yeah, sure, reporters, the bulwark of credibility. Hey, if one of those guys asks, then its gots to be true, right?

Well, why don't we get the reporter to have the coroner swear on a Bible, and just for good measure, have Buzz Aldrin swear on the same Bible that he was really on the moon.

This is insultingly ridiculous.

[Celestial Mechanic]

Okay, but is BAUT really the place for it? Is there nowhere else on the Internet where people can post morbid, evidence-free fantasies?Well, there is GodLikeProductions ... :think:

No, I'm pretty sure that no one here thinks that MJ faked his own death. This thread is just an attempt at gallows humor by making fun of all the other celebrity disappearances, real or not.

[kleindoofy]

... I'm pretty sure that no one here thinks that MJ faked his own death. ...
Sorry, I believe the OP is actually being serious. Hence my two posts.

[Buttercup]

I think the fact that he was preparing (with a lot of people) for a "very soon" upcoming tour negates the idea that Michael faked his death. :rolleyes: He loved life and craved continual fame; deliberate obscurity and "hiding out" until real death (another 3 decades?) would be the last thing Michael would want.

[Celestial Mechanic]

Sorry, I believe the OP is actually being serious. Hence my two posts.I suppose he was, but that is no reason for anyone else to take it seriously! ;)

[Gharlane]

Has anyone considered that he may have actually faked his life instead?:shifty:

[Argos]

I agree he had the means. I don't believe he had the will and what was his apparent motive again?

Judging by what we know about his life, he craved permanent attention, not anonimity. Actually, part of his personal problems stemmed from being away from the hit parade, i.e., not getting too much attention.

[Piano Paul]

Is that really the simplest explanation?

In other words, is it the one that best occamodates the cirumstances? (sorry, couldn't resist)

[Piano Paul]

Has anyone considered that he may have actually faked his life instead?:shifty:

Judging from what I saw on the news yesterday, it's pretty evident that he faked his kids...

[thoth II]

. Michael Jackson died at the relatively young age of 50 from causes unstated (so far). That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

"relatively" being the relevant word here.

Does anyone think it is easy for someone that age to dance around with 20 year olds? and on a 50 city tour? So if he needed medication, so be it. His life wasn't easy. Elvis also had a tough life, I heard he did more concert hours in Las Vegas than anyone (and Danny Gans too). It's easy to do this intense work when you're 20, not 50. In Elvis case, the Colonel pushed and pushed him to do more concerts, because he was in on half the cut. Maybe Michael was being pushed hard into doing all these concerts too.

[Daffy]

"relatively" being the relevant word here.

Does anyone think it is easy for someone that age to dance around with 20 year olds? and on a 50 city tour? So if he needed medication, so be it. His life wasn't easy. Elvis also had a tough life, I heard he did more concert hours in Las Vegas than anyone (and Danny Gans too). It's easy to do this intense work when you're 20, not 50. In Elvis case, the Colonel pushed and pushed him to do more concerts, because he was in on half the cut. Maybe Michael was being pushed hard into doing all these concerts too.

If I may sputter a bit...you must be very young. I am 53 and (seriously) still do everything I was able to do in my 20s. In some cases even better (experience helps, you know). Age will eventually slow me down, of course, but it hasn't yet. I suspect the trick is not to bloat out of control like Elvis.

[Piano Paul]

If I may sputter a bit...you must be very young. I am 53 and (seriously) still do everything I was able to do in my 20s. In some cases even better (experience helps, you know). Age will eventually slow me down, of course, but it hasn't yet. I suspect the trick is not to bloat out of control like Elvis.

I am also 53, and I envy you. I'm not bloated (much) but I guarantee there are things I could do in my twenties that I can't do now. I suppose it's either coincidence or maybe denial that I convince myself I wouldn't want to do the things I did in my twenties, but the fact remains. I can't swim 100 yards in under a minute (I used to be able to). I can't run a hundred yards in a minute (wait, I never could do that). Anyway, the only thing I can still do, is the one that I "used to do all night" that now takes all night to do!:lol:

[Tucson_Tim]

I am 53 and (seriously) still do everything I was able to do in my 20s. In some cases even better (experience helps, you know).

It depends on what you did when you were in your 20s. I've never seen a 53 year old world-class sprinter, or a 53 year old pro running back, or a 53 year old . . . . I could run through the entire gamut of physically demanding sports.

[aastrotech]

45 replies, no direct cite. If you don't like this question you better stay out of supermarkets. This will be on tabloid covers for the rest of your lives. This is just the beginning.

[Paul Beardsley]

45 replies, no direct cite. If you don't like this question you better stay out of supermarkets. This will be on tabloid covers for the rest of your lives. This is just the beginning.

Tabloids are where it belongs - if anywhere. Not BAUT.

I am quite used to ignoring tabloids, although the idea that "Did Michael Jackson fake his death?" will be on the cover for the rest of our lives is amusingly ludicrous.

[pzkpfw]

For this to idea be true:

1. The coroners etc. did a very bad job at identifying the body (however they did it).
2. The people who were with or near Michael either couldn't tell it wasn't him, or kept the secret.
3. He is succesfully hiding somewhere (despite being quite recognisable).
4. The coroners had a body - but not his.

The idea is based on nothing more than:

1. The vague and debatable idea that he might want to fake his death.
2. We don't know how the body was identified so somehow "assume" it wasn't done properly.

I see nothing here, and it's not through any personal like or dislike of the subject.

Vague motive, no evidence, only proposed doubts. No better than a Moon landing hoax claim.

[kleindoofy]

45 replies, no direct cite. ...
No direct cite of what?

Well, my mother's friend said her cousin's sister in law's uncle heard that the Oshkosh Tribune ran a story that somebody said that the LA coroner said "yeup, that's a was a he alls alrighty."

Satisfied?

... If you don't like this question you better stay out of supermarkets. This will be on tabloid covers for the rest of your lives. This is just the beginning.
I avoid those as much as possible. They cause brain cancer.

Last time I read one, HRH Queen Elisabeth II was reported having affair with Bon Jovi.

Can anybody directly cite a reliable source about Lizy and BJ? We have to clear this up before this thread can continue. THIS IS IMPORTANT!

[HenrikOlsen]

It depends on what you did when you were in your 20s. I've never seen a 53 year old world-class sprinter, or a 53 year old pro running back, or a 53 year old . . . . I could run through the entire gamut of physically demanding sports.
And you'd be wrong for the extreme endurance sports, where 20 year olds simply haven't lived long enough to build the endurance physique needed.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes was 59 and Dr. Mike Stroud was 48 when they ran seven marathons in seven days. I doubt either of them could have done so in their 20's.

But for the type of movement done in dancing like MJ, 50 is old.

[Argos]

Last time I read one, HRH Queen Elisabeth II was reported having affair with Bon Jovi.

At least HM has good taste.

[kleindoofy]

... But for the type of movement done in dancing like MJ, 50 is old.
From what I have heard, Jackson was only going to be on stage for a fraction of each concert. All in all ca. 15 minutes per show.

[Chuck]

Maybe he died while trying to fake his own death. That sounds good. I wish I owned a tabloid.

[Gillianren]

But for the type of movement done in dancing like MJ, 50 is old.

Though not as old as Tina Turner!

I'll confess to reading tabloid headlines for amusement when I'm in the checkout lane, an activity that has gone sadly downhill since the cessation of publication of my beloved Weekly World News. (The only tabloid I know for a fact people I know have bought, excitingly.) Mostly, these days, there is no humour. On the other hand, the day of Michael Jackson's death, I nearly giggled myself into illness over one: "Two Drag Queens STRANGLED David Carradine!" I pointed it out to everyone in line, including the cashier, and a good time was had by all.

I also noticed that, while most magazines assume we know everyone's last names and print covers without using any, Michael Jackson, whose last name we assuredly do know, was called by his full name. And it's not to do with how common the first name is, since there's apparently someone I should know named "Kate."

[Daffy]

It depends on what you did when you were in your 20s. I've never seen a 53 year old world-class sprinter, or a 53 year old pro running back, or a 53 year old . . . . I could run through the entire gamut of physically demanding sports.

Fair enough...but we aren't talking about those. I have a good friend who is a professional belly dancer and, at 60, is better than she has ever been.

As a general rule, generalizing is never a good idea.

[sarongsong]

...But for the type of movement done in dancing like MJ, 50 is old.Hear that, Prince and Madonna (http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2008/08/14/2008-08-14_the_age_of_madonna_pop_powerhouse_turns_-1.html)!? http://www.bautforum.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Tucson_Tim]

And you'd be wrong for the extreme endurance sports, . . .

Well, when you can't run fast enough to compete anymore, you do LSD-type running.


Sir Ranulph Fiennes was 59 and Dr. Mike Stroud was 48 when they ran seven marathons in seven days. I doubt either of them could have done so in their 20's.

Or wanted to. And I'll bet those marathon times were no where near world-record times. And younger runners who are good at the marathon aren't going to hurt themselves (over train) by running several marathons in a row, which would be an awful training method. I believe many 20 year old world-class marathoners could do what they did but won't because there is no point. Most marathoners run only an average of half-marathon distances in most of their training, with longer runs thrown in once in a a while.

A good rule of thumb in running races is that you can compete in a race twice as far as your average training run, with the usual tapering off just before the race.

ETA: Exceptions can be found everywhere. Take your average 53 year old and your average 20 year old and have them compete in any physically demanding sport. I know who my money is on.

[thoth II]

We'll never know for sure, but if we could do a hypothetical experiment, take one million people, make them do all the dancing MJ did for 50 years; and see how many of them survive to 60. We can only venture a guess as to the percentage.

[Tucson_Tim]

We'll never know for sure, but if we could do a hypothetical experiment, take one million people, make them do all the dancing MJ did for 50 years; and see how many of them survive to 60. We can only venture a guess as to the percentage.

Any kind of dancing that is done regularly is going to keep a person fit and healthy--it's exercise. There are many dancers that can still hoof it well into their upper years.

[HenrikOlsen]

And I'll bet those marathon times were no where near world-record times.
As no one else had ever done it, I'd say it's pretty certain their times were world record. :)

Oh, you're talking times for each of the seven marathons and want to compare it to someone who doesn't have to run a marathon the day after and hasn't run one the day before? How is that a valid comparison.:confused:

[Tucson_Tim]

As no one else had ever done it, I'd say it's pretty certain their times were world record. :)

And if someone hops across the US on a pogo stick, that's a world record too. Sheesh.


Oh, you're talking times for each of the seven marathons and want to compare it to someone who doesn't have to run a marathon the day after and hasn't run one the day before?


Like I already said, which you apparently didn't read, why would a world-class marathoner want to? For them, what's the point?

Even if I were to concede your one example, which I don't, it's only one example. I could name hundreds of sports (or events in T&F) that don't have 53 year old champs.

ETA: Don't get me wrong. I'm not bashing the older athletes. I have the greatest respect for athletes at the top of their respective pyramid, be it the golfer or ultra-marathoner. And the ones that continue to do it well into their "golden" years deserve even more respect, like your two examples.

ETA: Wow, this is way off subject . . .

[aastrotech]

At a press conference

Reporter: "What can you tell us about reports we have heard about a piece of foam striking the wing during the launch?"

Director: "I don't know about that*. You'll have to talk to the public information office".

The next day same question same answer.

The director resigned a couple of months later.

See? Sometimes reporters can ask relevant questions.

*Later shown to be inaccurate.

[LaurelHS]

So NASA might have been wrong about Columbia and that indicates MJ might have faked his own death because . . .? :confused:

[aastrotech]

So NASA might have been wrong about Columbia and that indicates MJ might have faked his own death because . . .? :confused:

Because asking questions (see OP) is how we find out things.

[Gillianren]

Because asking questions (see OP) is how we find out things.

Right. Because without a reporter asking that question, the reason for the event never would have been found. Just as it would take a reporter asking if the body were positively identified for anyone to bother positively identifying it. What an interesting world that would be; essentially nothing would ever be done.

[Jens]

So if Michael faked his death, then who was the ghost at Neverland? :)

[Paul Beardsley]

So if Michael faked his death, then who was the ghost at Neverland? :)

I love it!

Seriously, though, I think it's fair to say that investigative journalists do get things moving, sometimes.

But there are questions that don't need to be asked. They include all questions pertaining to MJ faking his death.

[aastrotech]

Right. Because without a reporter asking that question, the reason for the event never would have been found. Just as it would take a reporter asking if the body were positively identified for anyone to bother positively identifying it. What an interesting world that would be; essentially nothing would ever be done.

And as far as you know fingerprint verification of the cadaver was never done.

[aastrotech]

But there are questions that don't need to be asked. They include all questions pertaining to MJ faking his death.

So if the fingerprints don't match that's still not evidence that M.J. faked it? I suppose not but there would still be a lot of questions to ask and M.J. faking it would be one of them. And if the prints are never compared and reported then we'll never know for sure.

[Jens]

So if the fingerprints don't match that's still not evidence that M.J. faked it?

If it turned out they didn't match, I think it would be more rational to start asking why he had tried plastic surgery on his fingers.

Are you thinking that he got somebody else to die for him? That he hired somebody who looked like him, had vitigilo or whatever, got botched plastic surgery on his nose, nearly starved himself, and then that MJ somehow got this person to have a heart attack? Now, if he had gone out swimming in the ocean and never come back, with no body ever found, then OK, but the paramedics and hospital personnel all seem satisfied with the idea that the person they were treating was MJ, with his distinctive and well-known face.

[Van Rijn]

Well, there is GodLikeProductions ... :think:

No, I'm pretty sure that no one here thinks that MJ faked his own death. This thread is just an attempt at gallows humor by making fun of all the other celebrity disappearances, real or not.

Perhaps I missed it, but I don't recall seeing anyone ask: aastrotech, is this a joke?

[mugaliens]

I think it's fair to say that investigative journalists do get things moving, sometimes.

Absolutely. But the premise that without investigative journalism things would never get moving, or that the rest of mankind would never delve further into various issues, is absolutely false. Any good scientist, for example, is always asking questions as to "why," "how," and the other doubleyous.

[Gillianren]

And as far as you know fingerprint verification of the cadaver was never done.

Actually, as far as I know, it was; it's standard procedure in autopsies in Los Angeles when fingerprints are on file. Even when there is, as in this case, no concievable doubt as to the identity of the body. What's more, the Jackson family is very publicly paying for their own pathologist. If that pathologist didn't confirm the identity of the body and someone found out about it, that would be very bad indeed for the pathologist's reputation. It would also be very easy for someone to find that out, even without a reporter asking such a stupid question.

[sarongsong]

LaToya identified the body. (http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0707_mj_deceased_wm.pdf)

[Ara Pacis]

I coulda swore this thread was dead the last time I looked, but that must have been faked too. ;)

[kleindoofy]

... we'll never know for sure.
'Never' is such a harsh word.

Rumor has it George Washington faked his death too. NO FINGERPRINTS WERE TAKEN!!!! However, seeing that 210 years have since flowed down the Potomac, I think we can be pretty sure that he's not hiding out in the woods behind Mount Vernon.

As for the L.A. coroner, just imagine the scene at his home.

Coroner: "Hi honey, I'm home."

Wife: "Welcome home you little corpser, you. Anything special today?"

C.: "Well, kinda. We had that Jackson guy on the slab."

W.: "Was it really him?"

C.: "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure."

W.: "Didn't you take fingerprints?"

C.: "Hmm, of course that's standard procedure, and in a high profile case like this I always have to do everything strictly by the book, especially because everything's going to be checked about x-zillion times, and I would get fired for not taking them, but, no, I didn't take his fingerprints."

W.: "That's nice dear. Did you tell anybody?"

C.: "No."

W.: "Why not?"

C.: "Nobody asked. Not one reporter."

W.: "But you would tell them, right?"

C.: "Of course, I'm a civil servant. But nobody asked. If nobody does, only you and I will know about this for all eternity."

W.: "Sweet. Maybe that explains why Aunty Gerdy said she saw Michael Jackson at the Walmart yesterday."

[kleindoofy]

All bull aside, I think there's something more serious behind all of this.

Some people just can't accept the fact that people die.

Yes, people die. All of them. All of *us*. Everybody posting in this thread is going to die. Some day. Every member of BAUT. Every member of all of their families. etc.

Death is the one thing that all humans have in common. Every life form that has every lived, has died or will die. In a few years, no human that was born prior to 1900 will be alive. They will all be dead.

When a celeb dies, why can't the woowoos just accept it?

[Jens]

Death is the one thing that all humans have in common. Every life form that has every lived, has died or will die. In a few years, no human that was born prior to 1900 will be alive. They will all be dead.


Except the Count of St. Germain. :)

No, I see what you're saying, but it's not that simple, because people accept that their grandmother has died, but won't accept that Hitler or Elvis did. It seems somehow that people can't accept that things are as simple as they really are. If a guy like Michael Jackson, whose life is full of drama, simplies dies, it's no fun. There must be some drama. I think that's another possibility. Likewise, if someone close to the president dies, it must have been a conspiracy, because that's how politicians die.

[Paul Beardsley]

I think the OP is a sorry illustration of that fact that once you begin to consider conspiracy theories simply because somebody thought of them (and not because they are supported by any evidence whatsoever), you have started out on a dangerously irrational path.

BAUT is a place designed to counter this sort of nonsense, which is why I emphasise that this thread has no place here - unless it was presented as a joke, or as a thought exercise, which I don't think it was.

[geonuc]

I think the OP is a sorry illustration of that fact that once you begin to consider conspiracy theories simply because somebody thought of them (and not because they are supported by any evidence whatsoever), you have started out on a dangerously irrational path.

BAUT is a place designed to counter this sort of nonsense, which is why I emphasise that this thread has no place here - unless it was presented as a joke, or as a thought exercise, which I don't think it was.I wholeheartedly agree. Perhaps pzkpfw's first impulse (close the thread) was the correct one.

[Doodler]

An official statement has been made by Michael himself on the matter
Official Press Release (http://steynian.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/michael-jackson-in-thriller.png?w=250&h=252)

[Trantor]

When a celeb dies, why can't the woowoos just accept it?

I remember that when Elvis died, they had an open casket ceremony at his home, where thousands of fans saw his body, and still many of his fans did not want to accept that he was gone. They wanted to believe that he was still alive and safe somewhere. From time to time there were "sightings" of Elvis; living in peace, away from the media and his former crazy life.

I expect that there will be many MJ "sightings" in the future.

[DonM435]

Perhaps it was an altruistic suicide.

Here he was in financial ruin, with no future prospects. He signs up for this comeback tour that he can't possibly fulfill (I'm told that one can't sing well without a nose), then quietly ingests a lethal dose of whatever.

Voila! Sales of his stuff take off. His kids and his family profit. The Jackson Four can finish any performance obligations and will be beyond criticism under the circumstances.

(Not seriously advanced, but no worse than some theories I've read here.)

[jfribrg]

For this to idea be true:

1. The coroners etc. did a very bad job at identifying the body (however they did it).
2. The people who were with or near Michael either couldn't tell it wasn't him, or kept the secret.
3. He is succesfully hiding somewhere (despite being quite recognisable).
4. The coroners had a body - but not his.



Up to now, I have been sucessfully ignoring this thread, but I have finally succombed to the temptation. I will make this one post and then get on with my life. If I had died last week, MJ would not have cared, so likewise, I don't care that he died either.

Regarding the above list, you forgot a big one. The paramedics took a living breathing person to the hospital who then died. To pull this one off you need a living person who looks like MJ ( that in itself is an enormous challenge), is gravely ill, in MJ's house, and willing to take his true identity to the grave.

[Swift]

BAUT is a place designed to counter this sort of nonsense, which is why I emphasise that this thread has no place here - unless it was presented as a joke, or as a thought exercise, which I don't think it was.
Which has become the opinion of the moderators. It appears to us that this thread has gone beyond a casual question, and that aastrotech is advocating a conspiracy. Since we only allow discussions of astronomy related conspiracies (and then only in the CT forum) I am closing this thread. If someone has a good reason why this thread should be reopened, please PM myself or another moderator.