Cashing in on Michael’s Legacy

Licensing deals could earn the Jackson estate hundreds of millions. But will his legacy be exploited for the potential windfall?

By Johnnie L. Roberts | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Jul 16, 2009

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  • Posted By: mjsbiggestfan @ 08/10/2009 2:58:19 PM

    there will be a lot of Michael Jacksons at Halloween this year, but the real memorabilia will be worth MILLIONS!!! did you guys hear about this http://www.profilesinhistory.com/new/index.php?option=com_jackson ?

  • Posted By: tlsuper @ 07/17/2009 4:43:38 PM

    Wow a child molester dies and here come the vultures. Rev Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. These fellows are smarter than the rest of these fools. They just show up at a black tragedy, make a speech and get paid.

  • Posted By: ELVINA @ 07/16/2009 5:59:06 PM

    I'M ITALIAN
    AND LOVE ELVIS MUSIC
    HE'S THE KING OF MUSIC

    • Posted By: hlgns763 @ 07/17/2009 7:56:45 AM

      king of rock and roll....

      not the king of pop. but thats my opinion.

      i also love elvis!!

      cheers!

  • Posted By: ElvisExpertCoryCooper @ 07/16/2009 11:06:02 PM

    Where does Michael Stone get his information about Elvis Presley that "People are barely listening to his music anymore"? His music still sells hundreds of thousands of copies a year and his estate made over 50 million dollars last year according to Forbes magazine. Mr. Stone's comment that the legacy of Elvis Presley is basically a theme park shows an incredible lack of respect and fact. I would expect more intelligence from someone who is considered to be a top branding executive.

    All The Best,
    Cory Cooper
    Elvis Historian, Consultant, Technical Advisor
    ElvisExpert@aol.com

  • Posted By: ELVINA @ 07/16/2009 5:04:00 PM

    ringrazio Dio di non essere un americano

    • Posted By: hlgns763 @ 07/16/2009 5:12:58 PM

      in english please... no habla espanol...

      i know your talking about elvis, but i didnt do so hot in spanish class...

      • Posted By: ELVINA @ 07/16/2009 5:23:23 PM

        ignorante
        e' italiano no spagnolo

        • Posted By: hlgns763 @ 07/16/2009 5:29:51 PM

          sorry, no italian class in many highschools.

          english, please. im not ignorant. what is ignorant is thinking alot of americans know italian.

  • Posted By: ELVINA @ 07/16/2009 5:22:48 PM

    ignorante
    e' italiano no spagnolo

  • Posted By: thermezi09 @ 07/16/2009 2:57:55 PM

    Michael Jackson was not a vile monster. He was an abused pop star who never got a chance to have a normal childhood like most of us did and he was just eccentric. Those claims of child molestation were just that, claims,. They wanted some cash and that is what they got. The reason he is dead is stress from taking those meds to block out ignorance like what you just said. Let the man rest.

    • Posted By: brydges @ 07/16/2009 3:06:31 PM

      Yes he was a pillar of society and a model citizen - LOL
      Did you vote for Obama or Hillary?

      • Posted By: hlgns763 @ 07/16/2009 3:30:32 PM

        i dont think this person was saying michael was a pictire perfect model of modern society. he was very eccentric, never had a normal childhood....

        picture if you can all of the stories about child stars doing drugs and messing up they're lives...

        now picture being one of the biggest stars in the world, in the WORLD, by age 11 with 3 number one hits under your belt JUST FOR STARTERS....from the time he was 7 years old, 7 Y-E-A-R-S OLD, he was being forced to perform and live out a dream vicarously for his father, who beat the snot out of him, told him he was ugly, had a fat nose, had no talent ect.... not to mention all the attention from the media, fainting fans, rigourus touring and studio work, endorsments ect... then throw on top of that all the humanitarian work he did for the aids crisis in afirca, the poverty, the hungry.... THEN include all the rumors, paparazzi, tabloids, cameras, attention.... MEGA stardom, the likes of which we have never seen since, and most likely wont ever see again. he easily eclipsed elvis and john lennons death. he was arguably bigger than both of them combined. he is, to date, the most selling artist in the WORLD, ANYWHERE. since "Thriller", no one has been able to get close to the amount of sales or attention he got. i would love to see how ANYONE would handle that life and not come out of it a little messed up. dont beleive everything your told, you know that. you want me to beleive that the parents of those kids which were part of the alleged molestation werent looking for a buck from the richest muscician on the planet? really? that kind of crap happens all the time....

        no matter what you say, his star will burn brighter now than it ever did while he was alive. its giving people a chance to remember the genious that he was, not the monster that the media and people like you made him into.

        just watch his memorial, legends of they're own time are paying respect to michael, people that personally knew him, worked with him, lived with him... doesnt exactly sound like a group of people that thought he was molesting little boys.

        he was a genious, a humanitarian, a supporter of peace and change, and did more for the world than you could in 10 lifetimes. and you cant ever take that away from him....

        rip: the king of pop.

        • Posted By: valkirk @ 07/16/2009 4:45:47 PM

          Without a doubt he was abused as a child by Joe. I just pray that Joe has no contact with his grandchildren.

          Michael might have been a troubled genius but most of the troubles came from Joe.

          • Posted By: hlgns763 @ 07/16/2009 5:18:51 PM

            absolutely. arguably, joe can be the one to blame for all the plastic surgery michael got later in life. having your father, some one you look up to, belittle you and your appearance at such a young age while being in the national/international spot light would make me want to change how i look too. young, and impressionable and very sad.

            joe was a power hungry control freak that was out to exploit the talents of his kids like a pimp does a whore.

            and the exploitation will continue, people will make millions off of michaels death.... just wait for the movie to come out....

        • Posted By: valkirk @ 07/16/2009 3:50:48 PM

  • Posted By: dwhat @ 07/16/2009 2:55:02 PM

    Only if his parents are put in control will the exploitation happen.

    • Posted By: janeyre @ 07/16/2009 5:11:06 PM

      Bull, who should be in control, if not those who he had in his will? /Worry about your own family... That is where your real concerns should be...

  • Posted By: The Messiah @ 07/16/2009 2:04:35 PM

    Depite the hype and exploitation the good news is this evil, depraved, vile animal will never molest another child ever again.

    • Posted By: thermezi09 @ 07/16/2009 2:57:20 PM

      • Posted By: janeyre @ 07/16/2009 5:09:37 PM

        Unproven Allegations. You have proof to the opposite? Please produce...

    • Posted By: thermezi09 @ 07/16/2009 2:56:45 PM

  • Posted By: ELVINA @ 07/16/2009 5:01:34 PM

    elvis e' il grande e lo sara' per sempre.
    ho 40 anni e da 30 anni ascolto la sua musica.
    elvis e' il solo RE
    e tu coglione con capisci una mazza di musica
    vai a fare i cartoni o a zappare la terra
    povera America

  • Posted By: valkirk @ 07/16/2009 3:38:56 PM

    "The spectrum begins at Elvis Presley on one end, where people are barely listening to his music anymore"
    Hmmm.... Really? Don't tell Sirius radio and their first channel dedicated to a single artist which just celebrated it's 5th anniversary. Also, don't tell Billboard which had his #1s compilation as the #1 album for 3 weeks in 2002 going triple platinum and hitting number one in 25 countries. Or about the remix of "A Little Less Conversation" which shot to number one. There was also the re-released 50th anniversary of Heartbreak Hotel in 2006 and spent 4 weeks at #1 on the singles chart.

    I certainly hope that the Jacksons do not hire someone who knows so little about music to handle his estate.

  • Posted By: coraltown @ 07/16/2009 1:58:48 PM

    "But will his legacy be exploited for the potential windfall?"

    Does a bear poop in the woods?

  • Posted By: Nella87 @ 07/16/2009 11:54:27 AM

    There is a major poll running over at www.tinyurl.com/evilgood as to whether Michael Jackson was good or evil. Evil is currently in the lead! I think this poll is being recorded in some sort of record book, anyways, everybody go vote for good!!

  • Posted By: LosOlivos @ 07/16/2009 10:02:17 AM

    Good article, one note: Neverland is actually quite remote, 2 hours from LA, and the locals don't want it. https://www.examiner.com/x-15148-Santa-Barbara-County-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m7d10-Tom-Barrack-No-Neverland-burial-planned-for-Michael-Jackson

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