Remembering the ebb and flow of late King of Pop Michael Jackson’s career, the critics are busy jotting down facts that made the singer a legend.

And, now, a report shedding light on such facts reveals that Jackson’s Billie Jean made him the first black artist whose video to have his video broadcast on MTV.

Published by the China Daily, the report reveals that another reason behind why Jackson was so famous was the fact that he owned the rights to the South Carolina State Anthem South Carolina on My Mind, recorded by Hank Martin and Buzz Arledge.

Jackson was so popular that his waxwork features in five Madame Tussauds museums across the world. Only Elvis Presley and Madonna have more Tussaud figures—they have six each.

The report reckons that Jackson’s total lifetime earnings from royalties, solo recordings and music videos, revenue from concerts and endorsements were about 500 million dollars.

Jackson was also famous for receiving a Presidential Humanitarian Award from Ronald Reagan in 1984, for his support of charities helping people overcome alcohol and drug abuse.

He was also know for losing a fight against fellow 50 year old Madonna on MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch.

Three of Jackson’s albums—Bad, Dangerous and Thriller—are among the bestsellers of all time. Thriller remains the biggest-selling album since records began.

To date, over 300 million copies of his records have been sold worldwide. Jackson was also known for wearing his trademark black armband to remind fans of the suffering of children around the world.

His favourite superhero was Morph from the X-Men. He picked up his iconic moonwalk moves, which he debuted at the Motown 25th Anniversary show in 1983, from streetdancers he had spotted performing outside a hotel.

Little Richard thought that Jackson would be the right choice to play him in a biopic. Jackson’s most famous pets were Bubbles the chimp and Ben the rat.

He, however, also befriended a ram called Mr Tibbs, a python called Crusher, and Louie the llama.

The fact that a French Jackson aficionado committed suicide in 1984 after his mother refused to allow him to undergo surgery to look like the star shows how popular he was among his fans.

In 1984, a U.S. library accused Jackson of owing it over one million dollars in overdue book fines. Officials said that they would scrap the fines if he returned the books autographed.

[1 Comment]

Late King of Pop Michael Jackson’s funeral is expected to be even bigger than Elvis Presley’s in 1977, when 75,000 fans lined the streets of Memphis.

If that happens, Jackson’s funeral will become the biggest the entertainment world has seen.

According to reports, plans were under way on Saturday for a private service and public memorial for the music legend, whose body was moved to a private mortuary.

A source close to the Jackson family revealed that the singer’s coffin was being kept under armed guard to deter ghoulish fans trying to discover its secret location.

Jackson’s funeral is expected to take place on Wednesday or Thursday, believably, at the enormous Forest Lawn cemetery in Los Angeles. Following the funeral may be a public service, expected to claim a global audience as big as that of Princess Diana.

Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor, 77, who was one of Michael’s closest friends, and Sir Paul McCartney, who sang with him but fell out when Jackson bought the back catalogue of Beatles’ music from under his nose, are expected to be among mourners.

Mourners are also likely to include Liza Minnelli, Jackson’s former wife Lisa Marie Presley and Brooke Shields, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Madonna.

Jackson was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, who are forbidden from following funeral customs that are mentioned in the Bible, including rowdy wakes and alcoholic toasts.

The faith is still followed by most of his close family, apart from brother Jermaine, who became a Muslim 20 years ago. Jackson was briefly linked to the Nation of Islam group but never fully embraced the Muslim faith.

“The Witness path is the one Michael’s mother and father, Joe and Katherine, are anxious to follow for his funeral,” the Daily Express quoted a family friend as saying last night.

[Add Comment]

Screen legend Elizabeth Taylor, who coined the phrase 'King of Pop' for Michael Jackson while presenting him an award in 1989, has issued a heart-broken statement to mourn the death of her friend. She says she will miss her longtime friend as her "life is empty without him".

Jackson passed away Thursday after suffering cardiac arrest at the age of 50. The 77-year-old actress has revealed in the emotional message that she was due to visit him in a few short weeks as he prepared for his comeback concerts in London.

"My heart... my mind... are broken. I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him. We had so much in common we had such loving fun together. I was packing up my clothes to go to London for his opening when I heard the news. I still can't believe it... It can't be so," she said in the statement.

"He will live in my heart forever but it's not enough. My life feels so empty. I don't think anyone knew how much we loved each other. The purest most giving love I've ever known. Oh god! I'm going to miss him. I can't yet imagine life without him. But I guess with god's help... I'll learn. I keep looking at the photo he gave me of himself, which says, 'To my true love Elizabeth, I love you forever.' And, I will love him forever," she added.

[Add Comment]

Model-turned-actress Megan Fox is so unhappy with her appearance that she "panics" and suffers "anxiety attacks" if she sees pictures of herself.

The " Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen " star, who has been voted one of the world's sexiest women, is unhappy with her appearance and hates being confronted with images of herself.

"I never look at myself, even in still photographs. I don't look at anything. I panic if there is a monitor in the room and I immediately go into like an anxiety attack. I'm insecure, I think most actors are pretty insecure," said the 23-year-old.

[Add Comment]

Twilight' star Robert Pattinson was recently hit by a taxi cab while trying to escape a hoard of fans, but the British actor claims that he is not afraid of the attention.

The 23-year-old actor who was named the 'Sexiest Man on the Planet' by Heat magazine said that he was not afraid of the new tag or the increased adulation .

"I'm not really afraid of it though because I don't really know how to play up that aspect of it. I don't know if I could ever really be cast in a heartthrob role really -- apart from Twilight, which I didn't really know was a heartthrob role. I really don't feel I am one," he told.

The actor who shot to fame playing lovelorn vampire Edward Cullen in the superhit ' Twilight ', beat Hollywood A-list actors including Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt and Zac Efron in the poll.

[1 Comment]

Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp shocked restaurant staff in Chicago by leaving a mammoth tip of $4,000.

The 46-year-old actor was celebrating the red carpet screening of his new movie " Public Enemies " with a group of friends including his co-star Marion Cotillard and the film's director Michael Mann at Gibsons Bar and Steakhouse when he left the exhorbitant gratuity for waiter Mohammed A. Sekhani.

"Depp hosted a party of 15 people, including Mann and Cotillard, and the tip was split 12 ways. Depp is the finest of all the stars I have ever waited on," Sekhani said.

"And he is a true icon, and his ability to respect others is phenomenal. He loves Chicago, and Chicago loves him. Depp is one cool and generous dude."

The actor partied at the eatery until 2.30 a.m. before paying his bill, which came to $4,400 before the tip.

[Add Comment]

Pop legend Michael Jackson is using 300,000 Swarovski crystals to light up his sets and costumes in his comeback shows.

The " Thriller " singer, whose 50-night " This Is It " residency at London's O2 arena begins next month, will have over 1 million pounds worth of gems in 53 shapes, 40 sizes and 27 colours added onto his costumes and the stage to dazzle fans.

"As the King of Pop it is only natural for him to be crowned in crystal," said Nadja Swarovski, vice president of Swarovski Crystal Business.

Choreographer Kenny Ortega, who is working with the 50-year-old star to put together the shows, said the partnership with the jewellery firm had "inspired our fashion and scenic elements to a new state of the art".

[1 Comment]

Socialite heiress Paris Hilton has lashed out at the media for a string of stories linking her to soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, and insisted she wants the romance rumours to end once and for all.

The occasional actress-singer ended her six-month romance with basketball player and actor Doug Reinhardt earlier this month and shortly after news of the split broke, she was photographed getting close to Ronaldo in a Los Angeles nightclub.

The socialite has been dogged by rumours of a romance with the sportsman ever since, despite Paris’s insistence that they are " just friends ". And now she has taken aim at the press, accusing reporters of making up "vicious stories" about her love life.

"I'm really sick of reporters not only making up stories, but also inventing their own quotes that I never even said. It's ridiculous. They have no credibility. They make up vicious stories, and even though they are so far from the truth, it's still hurtful," she posted on her Twitter.com page.

"They even invent relationships, if I even talk to a guy as a friend, they blow it so out of proportion and act like we are dating. So lame...Sorry for the venting, I'm just sick of all these stupid rumours. I'm trying to focus on my life and work and don't need the extra stress. Plus, I want you all to know the truth. Don't believe what you read, about 90 percent of it is pure fiction," she added.

[Add Comment]

Kim Kardashian has said that she has a “crush” on world’s sexiest woman Megan Fox.

"Megan Fox is so hot. She is, like, my girl crush -- and I don't have girl crushes!" Us magazine quoted Kardashian as telling Entertainment Tonight .

Kim, who attended L.A. premiere of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen , which stars Megan, said: "That's really the only reason I'm here," while also hinting that her beau Reggie Bush also has a thing for the actress.

The socialite, who came into major limelight after her sex-tape surfaced, added: “I'm just really confident sexually, and I think that sort of oozes out of my pores, it's just there. It's something I don't have to turn on.”

"If you know how to take control of [being a sex symbol], then it can be powerful. But I have no idea how to handle it yet, how to deal with it."

[Add Comment]

Cristiano Ronaldo's former girlfriend has suggested that the footballer may have bedded 80,000 girls since he dumped her.

Nereida Gallardo, who was with Ronaldo for eight months before being dumped by text, claimed the Portuguese star crazed a new girl on a weekly basis.

"Every week another girl comes along talking about him. After dumping me I don't know how many there have been. Eighty thousand?" she said.

The Spanish model went on to predict that the soccer ace’s latest arm candy Paris Hilton would soon share her fate.

Posing topless in Spain's Interviu magazine, she added: "She's just another sh*g, a fling, one of many that have passed through his bed.” Nereida shot to prominence last summer when she was seen frolicking with the footie star in Italy.

[Add Comment]