Lacey Brown, the 24-year-old from Amarillo, Texas, learned that lesson Wednesday night when she was the first of the 12 “American Idol” finalists sent home. It’s always tough to be the first to go.

The 24-year-old event coordinator from Amarillo, Texas, was the first finalist eliminated from the ninth season of the Fox singing competition Wednesday. Brown, who turned in a lackluster rendition of the Rolling Stones’ “Ruby Tuesday” on Tuesday’s performance show, failed to impress the judges with a last-minute performance of Brandi Carlile’s “The Story.”

“I had a lot of people tell me maybe go the country route or something like that,” the teary-eyed pixie-haired singer told host Ryan Seacrest after her dismissal. “I’m willing to keep working. I’m not going to stop singing. I’m going to keep singing for my fans and for myself because I love to do this, so I’m excited for the future.”

At the beginning of Wednesday’s show, Simon Cowell revealed the return of the judge’s save. Introduced last season, the one-time-only power allows the show’s panel to rescue a contestant from being eliminated until the top five finalists have been selected. If they unanimously agree, no singer is eliminated that week but two will be sent packing the next week.

While her ouster may not have been a surprise, the biggest revelation of the night was that the controversial judges’ save was brought back — with a twist.

The move, which was introduced last season, gives the judges the chance to rescue the lowest vote-getter. The decision to use the save must be unanimous, and it can only be used once. The week after it’s used, two contestants go home. Once the field is reduced to five, the save is forfeited.

Last season, the lowest vote-getter was forced to sing the song that landed him/her at the bottom — not the best showcase of his or her skills. This season’s new twist is that the singer can pick from any song performed during the past weeks. Brown wisely chose to sing Brandi Carlile”s “The Story,” her best performance to date. It just wasn’t enough.

The judges smartly didn’t use the save on Brown, since they probably wanted to reserve the drama for later in the season when one of the favorites is at risk for elimination (and one invariably does — just ask Chris Daughtry). The judges decided against saving Brown, who received the fewest viewer votes.

It wasn’t a good night for Brown’s fellow Texans, either. Joining her in the bottom three were 24-year-old preschool teacher Paige Miles from Houston and 20-year-old college student Tim Urban from Duncansville. Miles overcame a bout of laryngitis to sing a respectable “Honky Tonk Woman” while Urban was chastised for his reggae rendition of “Under My Thumb.”

Also in the bottom two was Paige Miles, Brown’s “Idol” roommate. Miles battled laryngitis this week, but her rendition of “Honky Tonk Woman” was good enough to keep her alive.

As expected, favorites Siobhan Magnus, Crystal Bowersox, Michael Lynche, and Casey James sailed through. Didi Benami, Lee Dewyze, and Aaron Kelly also had nothing to worry about.

Katie Stevens, the 17-year-old talent who Kara DioGuardi thought could win the title, continued to get mixed messages from the panel. DioGuardi told her to focus on R&B, Cowell preferred country, and Randy Jackson said pop. Even less helpful was Ellen DeGeneres’ tongue-in-cheek advice to choose mariachi music.

The two remaining guys, Andrew Garcia and Tim Urban, received little praise. Urban was in the bottom three after his bizarre reggae-inspired performance Tuesday — but likely was saved by the teen girl vote.

Season 7 winner David Cook showed the Season 9 hopefuls how it’s done with a rocking rendition of “Jumping Jack Flash.” Two other breakout singers also performed during the hourlong show: Orianthi and Ke$ha. The latter paraded around the stage in a Native American headdress and war paint. Ke$ha tried be a fashion risk-taker, but ended up coming across as a Lady Gaga wannabe. No word yet on what the remaining 11 finalists will be singing next week, but hopefully it’ll be a little more contemporary than The Rolling Stones.

The other finalists remaining are Didi Benami, 23, of Los Angeles; Crystal Bowersox, 24, of Toledo, Ohio; Lee Dewyze, 23, of Mount Prospect, Ill.; Andrew Garcia, 24, of Moreno Valley, Calif.; Casey James, 27, of Fort Worth, Texas; Aaron Kelly, 16, of Sonestown, Pa.; Michael Lynche, 26, of Astoria, N.Y.; Siobhan Magnus, 20, of Marstons Mills, Mass.; and Katie Stevens, 17, of Middlebury, Conn.

1) Carlos Slim Helu

Net Worth: $53.5 billion

Source: Telecom

Residence: Mexico

• Telecom tycoon who pounced on privatization of Mexico’s national telephone company in the 1990s becomes world’s richest person for first time after coming in third place last year. Net worth up $18.5 billion in a year.

• Recently received regulatory approval to merge his fixed-line assets into American Movil, Latin America’s biggest mobile phone company.

• His construction conglomerate, Impulsora del Desarrollo y el Empleo, builds roads and energy infrastructure.

• Son of a Lebanese immigrant also owns stakes in financial group Inbursa, Bronco Drilling, Independent News & Media, Saks and New York Times Co.

• Newspaper outfit’s stock popped in early March on talk he might buy a controlling stake; he denies the rumor.

• Donating $65 million to fund a research project in genomic medicine with American billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad.

2) Bill Gates

Net Worth: $53 billion

Source: Microsoft

Residence: U.S.

• Software visionary is now the world’s second-richest man. Net worth still up $13 billion in a year as Microsoft shares rose 50% in 12 months, value of investment vehicle Cascade swelled.

• More than 60% of fortune held outside Microsoft; investments include Four Seasons hotels, Televisa, Auto Nation.

• Stepped down from day-to-day duties at Microsoft in 2008 to focus on philanthropy.

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation dedicated to fighting hunger, improving education in America’s high schools, developing vaccines against malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS.

3) Warren Buffett

Net Worth: $47 billion

Source: Investments

Residence: U.S.

• America’s favorite investor up $10 billion in past 12 months on surging Berkshire Hathaway shares; says U.S. has survived economic “Pearl Harbor,” but warns recovery will be slow.

• Shrewdly invested $5 billion in Goldman Sachs and $3 billion in General Electric amid 2008 market collapse.

• Recently acquired railroad giant Burlington Northern Santa Fe for $26 billion.

• “We’ve put a lot of money to work during the chaos of the last two years. When it’s raining gold, reach for a bucket, not a thimble.”

• Berkshire Hathaway book value was up 19.8% to $21.8 billion in 2009.

• Son of Nebraska stockbroker met value investor Benjamin Graham while studying economics at Columbia.

• Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, used company as a vehicle to invest in insurance (Geico), food (Dairy Queen), utilities (MidAmerican Energy) and recently green tech (electric-car maker BYD).

4) Mukesh Ambani

Net Worth: $29 billion

Source: Petrochemicals, oil and gas

Residence: India

• Global ambitions: His Reliance Industries, already India’s most valuable company, recently bid $2 billion for 65% stake in troubled Canadian oil sands outfit Value Creations.

• Firm’s $14.5 billion offer to buy bankrupt petrochemicals maker LyondellBasell was rejected.

• Since September company has sold Treasury shares worth $2 billion to be used for acquisitions.

• Late father, Dhirubhai, founded Reliance and built it into a massive conglomerate. After he died, Mukesh and his brother, Anil, ran the family business together for a brief time. But siblings feuded over control; mother eventually brokered split of assets, with Mukesh getting oil, gas and petrochemicals businesses.

• Still at odds with Anil over gas supply agreement; awaiting Supreme Court’s final ruling.

• Owns cricket team Mumbai Indians.

5) Lakshmi Mittal

Net Worth: $28.7 billion

Source: Steel

Residence: India

• London’s richest resident oversees ArcelorMittal, world’s largest steel maker. Net profits fell 75% in 2009.

• Mittal took 12% pay cut amid slump but improved outlook pushed stock up one-third in past year.

• Looking to expand in his native India; wants to build steel mills in Jharkhad and Orissa but has not received government approval.

• Started in family steel business in India in 1970s; branched out on his own in 1994.

• Initially bought up steel mills on the cheap in Eastern Europe.

• Earned $1.1 billion for selling his interest in a Kazakh refinery in December.

• Sits on the boards of Goldman Sachs, EADS.

• Upped stake in struggling British soccer team QPR in February.

• Funding 400-foot sculpture to be built in London’s Olympic Park in time for 2012 Olympics.

• Owns 12-bedroom mansion in London’s posh Kensington neighborhood.

• Daughter-in-law Megha recently bought insolvent German fashion house Escada.

6) Lawrence Ellison

Net Worth: $28 billion

Source: Oracle

Residence: U.S.

• Oracle founder’s fortune continues to soar; shares up 70% in past 12 months.

• Database giant has bought 57 companies in the past five years.

• Completed $7.4 billion buyout of Sun Microsystems in January; acquired BEA Systems for $8.5 billion in 2008.

• Studied physics at U. of Chicago; didn’t graduate.

• Started Oracle 1977; took public a day before Microsoft in 1986.

• Owns 52% stake in business-software company NetSuite; shares worth $480 million.

• Racing junkie owns 453-foot yacht Rising Sun with pal David Geffen. Won America’s Cup in February, besting longtime rival billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli.

7) Bernard Arnault

Net Worth: $27.5 billion

Source: Luxury goods

Residence: France

• Bling is back, helping fashion icon grab title of richest European as shares of his luxury goods outfit LVMH–maker of Louis Vuitton, Moet & Chandon–surge 57%.

• LVMH is developing upscale Shanghai commercial property, L’Avenue Shanghai, with Macau billionaire Stanley Ho.

• Renaissance man owns French tour operator Go Voyages, yacht builder Royal Van Lent; has a stake in French retailer Carrefour.

• Built Le Cheval Blanc in ski resort town of Courchevel, France, where he likes to spend New Year’s Eve.

• Father, Jean, who died in January, made small fortune in construction; sale of that business later helped fund Arnault’s move into real estate and eventually into luxury goods.

• Still a family affair: son Antoine, 32, and daughter Delphine, 34, sit on LVMH’s board.

• Wife is a concert pianist; Arnault himself reported to be an excellent piano player.

8) Eike Batista

Net Worth: $27 billion

Source: Mining, oil

Residence: Brazil

• Vowing to become world’s richest man–and he may be on his way. This year’s biggest gainer added $19.5 billion to his personal balance sheet.

• Son of Brazil’s revered former mining minister who presided over mining giant Companhia Vale do Rio Doce got his start in gold trading and mining. Insists Dad didn’t help: “All my businesses started from zero. My father was a problem for me because he never let me near Vale.”

• Made a pile in resources and other services, but two-thirds of his fortune comes from relatively new source, OGX Petróleo e Gas Participações, the oil-and-gas exploration company he founded in 2007 and took public a year later.

• Police raided his home in 2008, alleging Batista smuggled gold and unfairly influenced the acquisition of a railroad. He denied all wrongdoing, emerged unscathed.

• Onetime champion offshore powerboat racer.

• Formerly married to Playboy cover girl.

• Provided financing to Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic committee, helping the city win its bid for 2016 Olympic Games.

9) Amancio Ortega

Net Worth: $25 billion

Source: Fashion retail

Residence: Spain

• Style maven lords over Inditex; fashion firm, which operates under several brand names including Zara, Massimo Dutti and Stradivarius, has 4,500 stores in 73 countries including new spots in Mexico and Syria.

• Set up joint venture with Tata Group subsidiary to enter India in 2010.

• Betting on Florida real estate: bought Coral Gables office tower that is currently home to Bacardi USA.

• Also owns a luxury apartment complex in Miami; properties in Madrid, Paris, London and Lisbon, a horse-jumping circuit, an interest in a soccer league; has investments in gas, tourism and banks.

• Railway worker’s son started as a gofer in a shirt store.

• With then-wife Rosalia Mera, also a billionaire, started making dressing gowns and lingerie in living room.

• Shuns neckties and fanfare.

• Daughter Marta works for Inditex; speculation has it she’s being groomed to eventually replace her father.

10) Karl Albrecht

Net Worth: $23.5 billion

Source: Supermarkets

Residence: Germany

• Owns discount supermarket giant Aldi Sud, one of Germany’s (and Europe’s) dominant grocers.

• Has 1,000 stores in U.S. across 29 states.

• Estimated sales: $37 billion.

• Plans to open New York City store this year.

• With younger brother, Theo, transformed mother’s corner grocery store into Aldi after World War II. Brothers split ownership in 1961; Karl took the stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got northern Germany and the rest of Europe.

• Retired from daily operations.

• Fiercely private: little known about him other than that he apparently raises orchids and plays golf.

Charlie and Lola – Charlie and Lola Theme Tune, LazyTown – When We Play In A Band, Dora the Explorer – Waltzing Matilda / Kookaburra, Fifi and the Flowertots – Fifi’s Lemonade, Peppa Pig – Peppa Pig Medley, Pitt & Kantrop – Pitt & Kantrop Theme, Shaun The Sheep – Life’s A Treat (Wool Mix), Pocoyo – Pocoyo Theme, Me Too! – Me Too! Theme – Riverseafingal, Jim Jam & Sunny – Jim Jam & Sunny Theme, Finley The Fire Engine – Hey Hey Finley, The Beeps – The Beeps Opening Titles, Mama Mirabelle – Mama Mirabelle Title Theme, Mister Maker – Mister Maker Theme, Bratz Babyz – Feel The Power, Something Special – Let’s Make Music, Tweenies – Right Here, Right Now, Go Diego Go!-Morning In The Rainforest/Diego Theme, The Backyardigans – The Backyardigans Theme Song, Bob the Builder – Right Tool For The Job, Space Pirates – Space Pirates (Extended Theme), Charlie and Lola – The Bestest in the Barn, Big Barn Farm – Big Barn Farm Theme, Balamory – If You Need A Little Rhythm, Mama Mirabelle – Five Senses, Brum – Who’d Ya Call?, Postman Pat – Postman Pat Medley, Jakers! – Main Title – Jakers! Theme, Rupert Bear – Rupert Bear Follow The Magic, Something Special – I Am The Monkey, Jim Jam & Sunny – Wriggle Song, Tweenies – Do The Lollipop, Teletubbies – Jumping For Fun, Those Scurvy Rascals – Those Scurvy Rascals Theme, Fimbles – We Are Fimbles, How D’you Do?, Finley The Fire Engine – Friends To The End, Hana’s Helpline – Hana’s Helpline Theme Tune, The Magic Roundabout – The Magic Roundabout Theme, Bob the Builder – Let’s Get Busy, Fun Song Factory – Fun Song Factory Theme, Fifi and the Flowertots – We Love To Salsa, Me Too! – Bobby’s Boogie, Fimbles – It’s Fun To Fimble, Little Tikes – Let’s Play Together, Basil Brush – Boom Boom, Carrie & David’s Popshop – Carrie & David’s Popshop Theme, Noddy – Let’s Parade, Big Cook Little Cook – Big Cook Little Cook Theme, Get Squiggling – Get Squiggling Theme, Boogie Beebies – Motown Mix, Bratz Babyz – We Can Do It, Muffin The Mule – Where’s Willy?, Postman Pat – Greendale Anthem, Bill and Ben – Bill and Ben Theme, Pablo The Little Red Fox – Pablo The Little Red Fox Theme, Vampires Pirates and Aliens – Vampires Pirates and Aliens Theme, Balamory – Cheer You Up, SpongeBob Squarepants – SpongeBob Squarepants Theme, Crazy Frog – Popcorn, Teletubbies – Say Eh Oh (2007 Remix), Me Too! – My Time Too (Granny Murray), Tweenies – Bananas, Fimbles – Do The Fimble Dance, The Wonder Pets! – The Wonder Pets Theme, Balamory – Jump A Little Higher, Boogie Beebies – Reggae Mix, Bob the Builder – Bobs Line Dance, Tommy Zoom – Tommy Zoom 2007 Extended Theme, Fun Song Factory – The Rhythm Of The Music, Bird Bath – Bird Bath Opening / End Titles Medley, The Hydronauts – The Hydronauts Theme Tune, Teletubbies – Clouds, Ethelbert The Tiger – Ethelbert The Tiger Theme Tune, Skunk Fu! – Skunk Fu!, Little Tikes – When You Least Expect It, The Beeps – Beep Beep Tree Song, Watch My Chops – Watch My Chops Theme Tune, Noddy – The Noddy Nod, Crazy Frog – Axel F, Space Pirates – Auld Lang Syne Remix.

Michael Jackson's death

Michael Jackson still had a faint pulse and his body was warm when his doctor found him in bed and not breathing, a lawyer for the doctor told The Associated Press on Sunday.

Edward Chernoff also said Dr. Conrad Murray never prescribed or gave Jackson the drugs Demerol or OxyContin. He denied reports suggesting Murray gave Jackson drugs that contributed to his death.

Chernoff told the AP that Murray was at the pop icon’s rented mansion on Thursday afternoon when he discovered Jackson in bed and not breathing. The doctor immediately began administering CPR, Chernoff said.

“He just happened to find him in his bed, and he wasn’t breathing,” the lawyer said. “Mr. Jackson was still warm and had a pulse.”

Jackson‘s family requested a private autopsy in part because of questions about Murray, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said Saturday.

People close to Michael Jackson have said since his death that they were concerned about his use of painkillers. Los Angeles County medical examiners completed their autopsy Friday and said Jackson had taken unspecified prescription medication.

Chernoff said any drugs the doctor gave Jackson were prescribed in response to a specific complaint from the entertainer.

Listen and download Michael Jackson 911 call by clicking here.

“Dr. Murray has never prescribed nor administered Demerol to Michael Jackson,” Chernoff said. “Not ever. Not that day. … Not Oxycontin (either) for that matter.”

Paramedics were called to the mansion while the doctor was performing CPR, according to a recording of the 911 call. Medics spent three-quarters of an hour trying to revive Jackson. He was pronounced dead later at UCLA Medical Center.

Murray was interviewed by investigators for three hours Saturday. His spokeswoman called Murray “a witness to this tragedy,” not a suspect in the death, and police described the doctor as cooperative.

Chernoff also said the promoter of Jackson’s 50-show London concerts, AEG Live, owes the cardiologist $300,000.

“His contract with the promoters states he would receive an amount of money each month to be his (Jackson’s) personal physician and they have failed to honor that contract,” Chernoff said. “They are two months behind.”

Randy Phillips, president and CEO of AEG Live, acknowledged the contract called for Murray to be paid $150,000 a month, but said the contract required Jackson’s signature.

“Michael never signed the contract,” Phillips said.

He also said the doctor’s claim for payment may be against Jackson’s estate, not AEG which was merely advancing the money to Jackson.

Three days after the death of the King of Pop, celebrities descended on Los Angeles for what promised to be a spectacular celebration of Jackson’s life at the annual BET awards show.

Media requests for the Sunday night show doubled following the death, and the red carpet was lengthened. Joe Jackson, Michael’s father, was briefly spotted on the red carpet wearing a black hat. He planned make an onstage appearance, show publicist Bobbi Marcus said.

Previously announced performers including Beyonce and Ne-Yo, were working to overhaul performances they had planned for weeks so they could honor Jackson. Other stars tried to catch last-minute flights.

A private pathologist hired by the Jackson family completed a second, private autopsy Saturday, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the case.

A second autopsy can allow the family to get some information about a death almost immediately, including signs of heart, brain or lung disease or fresh needle punctures, said Dr. Michael Baden, a medical examiner not involved in the Jackson case.

“Usually if it looks normal with the naked eye, it looks normal under the microscope,” said Baden, who recently performed a second autopsy on actor David Carradine.

Los Angeles County coroner’s officials said their autopsy found no indication of trauma or foul play. But because of additional tests, an official cause of death could take weeks to determine.

There was no word from the Jackson family on funeral plans. Many of Jackson’s relatives have gathered at the family’s Encino compound, caring there for Jackson’s three children.

Al Sharpton, who arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon, said he was heading to the Jackson compound and would talk with the family about how to memorialize the late pop star. Sharpton said they want to hold memorials in key cities around the globe and also planned a memorial service Tuesday at the Apollo Theater in New York.

On Saturday, three of Jackson’s brothers — Jackie, Jermaine and Tito — visited Jackson’s Neverland Ranch where they walked the manicured grounds and reminisced about his life. It is not clear what will become of the ranch, which has been under renovations.

Owen Blicksilver, a spokesman for Colony Capital LLC, the Los Angeles-based firm where investor Thomas Barrack is chairman and CEO, said it was premature to discuss the future of Neverland. Barrack previously set up the joint venture with Michael Jackson after the singer nearly lost the ranch to foreclosure.

Barrack feels close to family members and wants to hear their thoughts on how best to honor Jackson’s memory, Blicksilver said. The investor joined Jackie, Jermaine and Tito Jackson for lunch Saturday at the sprawling Santa Barbara County property.

A White House adviser said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that President Barack Obama had written to the Jackson family to express his condolences.

In an interview that aired earlier Sunday, Jackson’s father said he does not believe stress over the intense series of concerts the King of Pop planned for his comeback led to his death.

Joe Jackson also said he believes his son will be larger in death than he was in life. The patriarch of the Jackson 5 said he wished Michael Jackson were around to see the outpouring of affection since his death.

“Michael was the biggest superstar in the world and in history,” Joe Jackson told Fox News Channel’s “Geraldo at Large.” “He was loved by everybody, whether poor or wealthy or whatever may be.”

The Jackson Five

Sehari setelah kematian tiba-tiba Michael Jackson, merebak spekulasi mengenai apa yang membunuh Raja Pop berusia 50 tahun itu hanya beberapa minggu sebelum digelarnya konser “comeback”nya yang banyak dinanti orang.

Jackson, mantan bintang cilik yang menjadi salah satu artis pop terlaris sepanjang masa sebelum kemudian turun derajat dalam gaya hidup yang aneh dan menyendiri, meninggal Kamis sore di sebuah rumah sakit di Los Angeles kemana dia dilarikan untuk mendapat perawatan serangan jantung setelah ambruk di rumah sewaannya.

Hanya didapat sekelumit kecil infomasi rinci mengenai hal yang mengitari kematiannya, namun sang entertainer sejati ini dilaporkan semaput dan tidak lagi bisa bernafas begitu sampai di RS UCLA Medical Center di mana para dokter tidak mampu menyelamatkannya.

Jenazahnya diterbangkan oleh helikopter dari rumah sakit itu menuju kantor forensik Kamis malamnya.
Brian Oxman, juru bicara Keluarga Jackson, mengatakan pada CNN Jumat WIB bahwa keluarga telah lama mengkhawatirkan kesehatannya dan berusaha merawatnya selama berbulan-bulan.

“Michael datang ke tempat latihan beberapa kali, dia berusaha sangat serius untuk mengikuti latihan.” kata Oxman tentang persiapan Jackson untuk melangsungkan rangkaian tur 50 konsernya yang dijadwalkan dimulai dari London bulan Juli nanti.

“Perawatan kesehatan padanya telah sesuai aturan, cedera yang dialaminya di mana dia menderita patah tulang belakang dan kakinya patah gara-gara jatuh dari panggung, telah berangsur baik,” kata Oxman kepada CNN.

Pihak berwenang dijadwalkan melakukan otopsi Jumat (Sabtu pagi WIB), namun mereka khawatir upaya ini akan menyita waktu berminggu-minggu karena harus menunggu hasil tes toksilogi (racun). Tes itu akan mengetahui jika Jackson telah mengonsumsi obat-obatan, alkohol atau resep obat pada sistem tubuhnya.

Para detektif dari Bagian Perampokan dan Pembunuhan, Kepolisian Los Angeles menggeledah rumah Jackson di Perumahan Holmby Hills di kawasan kota Los Angeles, atas perintah Inspektur William Bratton.

Namun para penyelidik mengaku investigasi ini adalah hal rutin yang biasa mereka lakukan ketika terjadi peristiwa seperti itu.

Konser di London dianggap sebagai simbol kembalinya Jackson yang mendominasi dunia pop selama 1980an melalui album seperti “Thriller” dan “Billie Jean” dan dihormati karena mengubah video musik menjadi bentuk seni mahal bercita rasa tinggi.

Dia dianggap sebagai salah seorang entertainer paling sukses di abad lalu, dengan penjualan album terbesar sepanjang masa 750 juta kopi dan mendapatkan 13 Grammy.

“Michael telah dan akan tetap menjadi salah seorang entertainer terbesar yang pernah hidup,” kata pendiri Motown Records, Berry Gordy, bos pertama Jackson dalam perekaman karyanya.

“Dia adalah kekecualiaan, artistik dan orisinil. Dia telah melimpahi dunia dengan kalbu dan jiwanya melalui musiknya.”

Download Michael Jackson’s 911 call by clicking here.

Namun reputasi Jackson sebagai penyanyi dan penari beberapa tahun belakangan dibayangi oleh penampilannya yang abnormal dengan gaya hidup yang ganjil, di antaranya kedekatannya dengan seekor simpanse (monyet) dan menganggap dirinya pelindung anak-anak.

Dia menamai komplek rumah mewahnya di kaki bukit di California tengah “Neverland Valley Ranch” yang diambil dari kisah Peter Pan karya J.M. Barrie, dan memenuhinya dengan taman bermain dan kebun binatang mini.

Jackson dua kali dituduh menganiaya dua bocah laki-laki dan didakwa telah melakukan kekerasan seksual terhadap anak pada 2003. Dia menjadi makin tertutup setelah pembebasannya dari tuduhan pengadilan pada 2005 dan bersumpah tidak akan lagi tinnggal di Neverland.

Di tengah reputasi yang memburuk dan belitan utang menggunung yang dilaporkan Wall Street Journal mencapai 500 juta dolar AS, Jackson menghabiskan waktu dua bulan terakhir untuk berlatih menghadapi konser di London, termasuk konser Rabu malam di stadion besar di Staples Center, markas klub bola basket Los Angeles Lakers.

Meskipun ada laporan Jackson menderita sakit, promotor pentas di London, AEG Live, Maret, mengatakan bahwa Jackson telah melewati uji kesehatan fisik selama 4,5 jam dari dokter-dokter independen.

“Saya tidak bisa berhenti menangisi kabar buruk itu. Saya senantiasa mengagumi Michael Jackson. Dunia telah kehilangan salah satu sosok teragungnya namun musiknya akan hidup abadi,” kata bintang pop Madonna dalam satu pernyataannya.

Jackson lahir pada 29 Agustus 1958 di Gary, Indiana, dan merupakan anak ketujuh dari sembilan bersaudara dan pertamakali tempil bersama empat abangnya dalam Jackson 5.

Albumnya pada 1982 “Thriller” berhasil menempatkan tujuh lagunya sekaligus dalam barisan 10 lagu terpopuler pada tangga lagu dunia. Album ini terjual 21 juta kopi di AS dan kira-kira 27 juta secara internasional.

Tahun berikutnya, dia menandatangi paten untuk gerak tari bergaya jalan di bulan (moonwalk), yang menjadi trend dunia berikutnya, selagi membawakan lagu “Billie Jean” dalam pentas spesial NBC.
Pada 1994, Jackson menikahi anak semata wayang Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie, namun pernikahannya berakhir dengan perceraian pada 1996.

“Saya sungguh sedih dan bingung dengan emosi yang bercampur aduk. Ini seperti kehilangan segala-galanya, tak bisa terungkapkan oleh kata-kata,” aku Marie Presley.

Jackson lalu menikahi Debbie Rowe di tahun sama dia bercerai dengan Marie dan dikaruniai dua anak, sebelum bercerai pada 1999, dan tak lama kemudian dia mendapatkan seorang anak lagi dari perempuan yang sampai sekarang misterius.

Dia meninggalkan tiga anak, Prince Michael I, Paris Michael dan Prince Michael II. Yang terakhir ini terkenal karena dikenalkan ke publik dengan mengayunkannya di atas loteng sehingga mendapatkan kritik banyak kalangan.

The final act of Michael Jackson’s life came into clearer focus Friday, a picture of a fallen superstar working out with TV’s “Incredible Hulk” and under the care of his own private cardiologist as he tried to get his 50-year-old body in shape for a grueling bid to reclaim his glory.

While the exact circumstances of his death remained unclear, early clues suggested he may simply have pushed his heart too far.

Police said they had towed the doctor’s BMW from Jackson’s home because it may include medication or other evidence, and a source familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that a heart attack appeared to have caused the cardiac arrest that led to the pop icon’s sudden death.

As grief for the King of Pop poured out from the icons of music to heartbroken fans, and the world came to grips with losing one of the most luminous celebrities of all time, an autopsy showed no sign of trauma or foul play to Jackson, who died Thursday at UCLA Medical Center after paramedics not could not revive him.

Listen to and Download the Michael Jackson 911 call by clicking here.

The AP source who said Jackson apparently suffered a heart attack was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity. Jackson’s brother Jermaine had said the pop singer apparently went into cardiac arrest — which often, but not always, happens because of a heart attack.

Authorities said they spoke with the doctor briefly Thursday and Friday and expected to meet with him again soon. Police stressed that the doctor, identified by the Los Angeles Times as cardiologist Conrad Murray, was not a criminal suspect.

“We do not consider him to be uncooperative at this time,” Beck said. “We think that he will assist us in coming to the truth of the facts in this case.”

Craig Harvey, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner, said there were no signs of foul play in the autopsy and further tests would be needed to determine cause of death. He said Jackson was taking some unspecified prescription medication but gave few other details.

Meanwhile, a 911 call released by fire officials shed light on the desperate effort at the mansion to save Jackson’s life before paramedics arrived Thursday afternoon. Jackson died later at UCLA Medical Center.

In the recording, an unidentified caller pleads with authorities to send help, offering no clues about why Jackson was stricken. He tells a dispatcher that Jackson’s doctor is performing CPR.

“He’s pumping his chest,” the caller says, “but he’s not responding to anything.”

Asked by the dispatcher whether anyone saw what happened, the caller answers: “No, just the doctor, sir. The doctor has been the only one there.”

The president of the company promoting Jackson’s shows said Murray was Jackson’s personal physician for three years. Jackson insisted Murray accompany him to London, said Randy Phillips, president of AEG Live.

Phillips quoted Jackson as saying: “Look, this whole business revolves around me. I’m a machine, and we have to keep the machine well-oiled.” Phillips said Jackson submitted to at least five hours of physicals that insurers had insisted on.

On Friday, the autopsy was completed in a matter of hours, but an official cause of death could take up to six weeks while medical examiners await toxicology tests. No funeral plans had been made public.

Jackson had remained out of the public spotlight during intense rehearsals for the London concerts, but those with access said he was upbeat and seemingly energized by his planned comeback. Ken Ehrlich, executive producer of the Grammys, said he watched Jackson dance energetically as recently as Wednesday.

“There was this one moment, he was moving across the stage and he was doing these trademark Michael moves, and I know I got this big grin on my face, and I started thinking to myself, ‘You know, it’s been years since I’ve seen that,’” he said.

Lou Ferrigno, the star of “The Incredible Hulk,” said he had been working out with Jackson for the past several months.

Still, Jackson’s health had been known to be precarious in recent years, and one family friend said Friday that he had warned the entertainer’s family about his use of painkillers.

“I said one day we’re going to have this experience. And when Anna Nicole Smith passed away, I said we cannot have this kind of thing with Michael Jackson,” Brian Oxman, a former Jackson attorney and family friend, told NBC’s “Today” show. “The result was I warned everyone, and lo and behold, here we are. I don’t know what caused his death. But I feared this day, and here we are.”

Oxman claimed Jackson had prescription drugs at his disposal to help with pain suffered when he broke his leg after he fell off a stage and for broken vertebrae in his back.

The worldwide wave of mourning for Jackson continued unabated for the man who revolutionized pop music and moonwalked his way into entertainment legend.

“My heart, my mind are broken,” said Elizabeth Taylor, who was one of Jackson’s closest friends and married one of her husbands at a lavish wedding at the pop star’s Neverland Ranch in 1991. She said she had heard the news as she was preparing to travel to London for Jackson’s comeback show, and added, “I can’t imagine life without him.”

Hundreds made a pilgrimage to the Jackson family’s compound in Los Angeles, leaving flowers and messages of love. They did the same at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and at the home in Los Angeles’ Holmby Hills where Jackson was stricken. Some camped out overnight.

In New York, people stopped at Harlem’s Apollo Theater, where Jackson had performed as a child with his brothers in one of rock’s first bubblegum supergroups, the Jackson 5.

Scores of celebrities who knew or worked with Jackson — or were simply awed by him — issued statements of mourning. Some came through publicists and others through emotional postings on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, where countless everyday fans were sharing memories as well.

“I truly hope he is memorialized as the ’83 moonwalking, MTV owning, mesmerizing, unstoppable, invincible Michael Jackson,” said John Mayer. Miley Cyrus called him “my inspiration.”

And Diana Ross, the former lead singer of the Supremes who introduced the Jackson 5 at their debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1969, said she could not stop crying. “I am unable to imagine this,” she said. “My heart is hurting.”

His two ex-wives both said they were devastated. One of them, Lisa Marie Presley, posted a long, emotional statement on her MySpace page in which she said her ex-husband had confided to her 14 years ago that he feared dying young and under tragic circumstances, just as her father, Elvis Presley, had.

“I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that,” Presley said.

Presley’s father, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll to Jackson’s King of Pop, died in 1977 at age 42 of a drug-related death.

At rehearsals for Sunday’s Black Entertainment Awards show, stars like Beyonce, Wyclef Jean and Ne-Yo were frantically revamping their performances in an effort to turn the evening into a Michael Jackson tribute.

“There’s a direct line from Ne-Yo to Michael Jackson,” said executive producer Stephen Hill. “There’s a direct line from Beyonce to Michael Jackson. There’s a direct line from Jay-Z to Michael Jackson. I think they’ll want to pay tribute in their own way.”

When he was on trial on child molestation charges in 2005, Jackson appeared gaunt and had recurring back problems that he attributed to stress. His trial was interrupted several times by hospital visits, and Jackson once even appeared late to court dressed in his pajamas after an emergency room visit.

After his acquittal, Jackson’s prosecutor argued against returning some items that had been seized from Neverland, the Santa Barbara County estate Jackson had converted into a children’s playland. Among the items were syringes, the powerful painkiller Demerol and other prescription drugs.

Demerol carries a long list of warnings to users. The government warns that mixing it with certain other drugs can lead to reactions including slowed or stopped breathing, shock and cardiac arrest.

Within hours of Jackson’s death on Thursday, fans were inundating Web sites that sell his music, and physical stores reported they had been cleaned out of Michael Jackson and Jackson 5 CDs. All 10 of the albums on Amazon.com’s bestseller list Friday were Jackson’s; the 25th anniversary edition of “Thriller,” the bestselling album of all time, was at the top.

Meanwhile, fans were snapping up every Jackson recording they could get their hands on.

Bill Carr, Amazon.com Inc.’s vice president for music and video, said the Web site sold out within minutes all CDs by Michael Jackson and by the Jackson 5. Jackson’s albums accounted for all 10 of Amazon’s “Bestsellers in Music” list Friday, with the 25th anniversary edition of the celebrated “Thriller” album taking the top spot.

Barnes and Noble Inc.’s Web site and retail stores also sold out most Jackson CDs, DVDs and books, and its 10 best-selling CDs were Jackson titles as well.

“They love him,” said Bill Carr, Amazon’s vice president for music and video. “He’s a legend, and they’re anxious to make sure they have his music in their collections.”

Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston at BET Award 2001

The BET Awards are undergoing “a total overhaul” as the show is retooled as a tribute to Michael Jackson, the network said Friday. The telecast is being lengthened, performers are being added to the lineup and additional guests are expected to attend, said Debra L. Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive of Black Entertainment Television.

“We’re adding on,” Lee said from the Shrine Auditorium, where the awards will be presented Sunday. “We’re trying to do the numbers we had already planned and we’re trying to add on, so it may be a longer show than we anticipated.”

At least 30 minutes will be added to the broadcast, she said. Jamie Foxx is set to host the show.

Jackson died Thursday afternoon at UCLA Medical Center after being stricken at his Los Angeles home.

Listen to the Michael Jackson 911 call by clicking here.

Meanwhile, artists such as Beyonce and Ne-Yo, who worked on their performances for weeks, scrambled to change them last-minute to honor the King of Pop, said producer Stephen Hill.

“To change it up in three days is something that’s not easy but they’re all willing and looking forward to it,” Hill said. “There’s a direct line from Ne-Yo to Michael Jackson. There’s a direct line from Beyonce to Michael Jackson. There’s a direct line from Jay-Z to Michael Jackson. I think they’ll want to pay tribute in their own way.”

Other artists who had not planned to attend Sunday’s show, such as Usher and Justin Timberlake, are rushing to Los Angeles to participate, Hill said.

“This is going to be the first gathering of people who really cared for and were influenced by him since his death,” he said. “It’s a tall order for us but we have every intention of paying respect to Michael Jackson.”

Lee said she expects the evening’s acceptance speeches to be dedicated to Jackson’s memory and his influence on music and popular culture.

“There’s no artist that’s going to want to get up there and talk about themselves. They’re going to want to talk about Michael,” she said. “We want to give out the awards, we want them to have their moment but it’s going to be more geared toward Michael Jackson.”

Lee said Jackson was a longtime friend of the network, which is airing special programming in his honor all weekend. Jackson will also be remembered at Lee’s annual pre-party in honor of the awards, where Foxx, Sean Combs and Vanessa Williams are among expected guests.

Hill, who wore a yellow Jackson 5 T-shirt Friday, said seeing the band perform in 1971 inspired him to go into the entertainment business. He still keeps a poster of the group in his office, he said.

“Michael Jackson was my first real hero,” Hill said. “I don’t think that this first public outpouring could be left in better hands.”

“There will be another awards show, so if this one changes, that’s fine,” he said. “There will not be another Michael Jackson.”

Kelly Clarkson: The 27-year-old singer has released four albums since winning the first “Idol.” Her name was immortalized in 2005 when Steve Carell screamed it out after getting his chest waxed in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.” Clarkson currently has two singles, “My Life Would Suck Without You” and “I Do Not Hook Up,” on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Ruben Studdard: The 30-year-old crooner has also released four albums since winning the second season, including the 2004 gospel record “I Need an Angel.” He is currently starring as Fats Waller in a national tour of “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” Studdard’s most recent album, “Love IS,” dropped Tuesday and features a mix of romance-themed covers and original tunes.

Fantasia Barrino: The 24-year-old singer has released two albums, “Free Yourself” and “Fantasia.” Barrino played herself in a 2006 Lifetime TV film based on her autobiography, “Life Is Not a Fairy Tale.” She starred as Celie in the Broadway musical version of “The Color Purple” in 2007 and will reprise her role in a national tour later this year.

Carrie Underwood: The 26-year-old country crooner is arguably the singing competition’s most successful winner, becoming a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum selling recording artist with her two albums, “Some Hearts” and “Carnival Rides.” Underwood captured the entertainer of the year award at last month’s Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas.

Taylor Hicks: The 32-year-old Soul Patrol leader’s first, self-titled album went platinum but never generated the acclaim or hype of winners like Clarkson or Underwood. He later went on to play Teen Angel in the Broadway and national touring casts of “Grease.” Hicks released a second album in March under his own label after leaving Arista Records.

Jordin Sparks: The 19-year-old singer’s self-titled first album debuted at No. 10 on Billboard. After winning the sixth season, Sparks performed the national anthem at Super Bowl XLII and defended the Jonas Brothers at last year’s MTV Video Music Awards when host Russell Brand joked about their purity rings. She will release her second album in July.

David Cook: The 26-year-old rocker released his self-titled debut album in November and is currently touring the country. He dueted with Underwood on Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” at the opening of an “Idol” attraction at Disney World. Cook’s older brother, who famously cheered for him in the “Idol” audience, died from brain cancer earlier this month.

Download free mp3: David Archuleta Touch My Hand, Touch My Hand (video) Danny Gokey Hero, Pretty Young Thing, Jesus Takes the Wheel, Get Ready, What Hurts The Most, Stand by Me, Endless Love, September, Come Rain or Come Shine, Renegade (with Kris Allen), Dream On, Dear Little Sister, You Are So Beautiful Adam Lambert Satisfaction, Black or White, Ring of Fire, The Track of My Tears, Mad World, Born To Be Wild , If I Can’t Have You, Feeling Good, Whole Lotta Love, Slow Ride (with Allison Iraheta), One, Cryin’, No Bounderies, A Change is Gonna Come, Mad World (final) Kris Allen Ain’t No Sunshine, What’s Going On Lil Round The Way You Make Me Feel, ABC – Top 13 AI, Allison Iraheta Give it To Me, Papa Was A Rolling Stone Matt Giraud Let’s Get it On

Kris Allen, center, reacting after Ryan Seacrest, right, announces that he was the winner

Kris Allen beamed with disbelief, shook his head as if to reject that this was really happening and struggled to find words.

The fact that he’d just beaten rollicking vocal powerhouse Adam Lambert for the “American Idol” title wasn’t going to sink in quickly for the unassuming underdog from Arkansas. The only downside to this stunning victory: He’d have to sing “No Boundaries” one more time.

“Adam deserves this. I’m sorry, I don’t even know what to feel right now. This is crazy,” said the 23-year-old from Conway, Ark.

Allen’s smooth vocals and boy-next-door image gave him the edge after nearly 100 million viewer votes were cast, turning the theatrical Lambert into the most unlikely of also-rans. When the season started, Allen seemed unsure he had a right to take center stage, let alone stand there and snatch victory from such a formidable rival.

During his “Idol” audition last summer, Allen, hands in his pockets and a newsboy cap pulled down around his eyes, was asked by the judges if he was the best singer around.

“You know, there’s probably people who are better than me,” was Allen’s response, offered in the quiet, low-key spirit he retained despite his growing profile.

Conversely, Lambert’s commanding vocal range and stage presence — and the judges’ lavish adoration — at times turned “Idol” into “The Adam Lambert Show,” with the other contestants mere guests. But it turned out that “Idol” viewers could embrace a gifted performer like Lambert, one who sported black nail polish and bold self-assurance, only to a point.

Cowell tipped his hat to both contestants Wednesday night, who shared a moment of musical camaraderie when they joined with Queen on the rock anthem “We Are the Champions.”

“To both of you, and I don’t normally mean this, I thought you were both brilliant http://floodgates.wordpress.com. the future’s all yours,” the judge said.

“Adam did win. So did Kris. Nobody lost tonight. These are two champions,” said Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley from backstage.

The comments from Cowell and Stanley aren’t necessarily empty platitudes. Past contestants can testify that losing the title doesn’t mean you’re a loser, nor does winning mean you’re a shoo-in for superstardom.

Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson, who finished fourth and seventh in their respective seasons, have gone on to huge success. As for “Idol” winners, they range from blockbuster artists like Carrie Underwood to the mostly under-the-radar Taylor Hicks.

Backstage, Lambert was asked about how his second-place finish would be interpreted online.

“The blogs have a lot of opinions, don’t they?” he said, smiling and looking relaxed.

His own interpretation?

“I think Kris won because he’s a great artist and I was happy to be runner-up to that,” he said.

Allen had yet to come to grips with his new status several hours after the Fox show ended.

“I felt shocked every week that I made it. To be the `American Idol,’ I’m really shocked,” he said backstage. He paid tribute to his competitor.

“He deserves it just as much as I do,” Allen said, calling Lambert an “amazing” performer.

On the personal front, he said he was looking forward to getting back to married life with his wife, Katy, whom he called “the coolest chick in the world.”

Wednesday’s outcome echoed last year’s contest, which also looked at the outset like it was going the other way. Cowell all but crowned David Archuleta after the performance finale, calling his a “knockout performance” — but the victory went to David Cook.

Lambert was such a powerful, unique performer that his fans were allowed a sense of entitlement on his behalf. But his triumph wasn’t inevitable. When Allen and Lambert were declared the finalists last week, just 1 million viewer votes separated the pair out of 88 million cast.

Allen bloomed during the season, gaining more assurance onstage and winning viewers over with his heartfelt vocals, modest demeanor and well-scrubbed good looks.

There was also the Danny Gokey factor. Gokey made it to the top three before he fell out of the contest, leaving his supporters up for grabs.

“After the third one leaves, you wonder where do the votes go from that third contestant,” Paula Abdul said backstage after Tuesday’s singing showdown.

Allen seemed the likely candidate for those viewers’ affections, for on- and offstage reasons. Allen and Gokey, 29, of Milwaukee, were downright conservative when compared to Lambert’s elaborate staging and wardrobe choices. Allen is a married college student — his wife was often on hand to root for him — and has worked as a church worship leader. Gokey, a recent widower, is a church music director.

Lambert, 27, of Los Angeles, brought measured rock flashiness — daring, not freaky — with songs including “Whole Lotta Love,” the first-ever Led Zeppelin tune on “Idol.” He’s largely kept his personal life under wraps, saying “I know who I am” when asked about it.

Earlier this week, Allen said he hoped the outcome wouldn’t be decided by “having the Christian vote.”

“I hope it has to do with your talent and the performance that you give and the package that you have. It’s not about religion and all that kind of stuff,” he said.

Added Lambert: “It’s about music. That’s really important to keep in mind.”

The finale Wednesday included the usual bag of tricks for extending the show to two hours and delaying the result until the final minutes. There were group numbers, the Golden Idol Award — semifinalist funnyman Nick “Norman Gentle” Mitchell among the contenders — and celebrity-contestant combos.

Allen was joined by Keith Urban on “Kiss a Girl,” while Lambert stomped the stage in elevator boots and oversized ribbed shoulder pads for a pyrotechnic performance with Kiss.

The female finalists, including Allison Iraheta, opened up for Fergie, who sang “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and then was joined by her group, the Black Eyed Peas. Iraheta later dueted with Cyndi Lauper on “Time After Time” and Danny Gokey joined Lionel Richie for two tunes.

Rod Stewart sang “Maggie May” after the male finalists opened for him with “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy.”

An offbeat guest was Steve Martin, the actor-comedian who also specializes in the banjo. He played his song “Pretty Flowers” with finalists Megan Joy and Michael Sarver on vocals.

Asked by Seacrest to guess who might win “American Idol,” Martin replied: “I know it’s a long shot, but I’m hoping I do.”

Allen rose to the occasion during Tuesday’s performance show, especially with his soulful version of “Ain’t No Sunshine.” But he was tripped up by “No Boundaries,” a power ballad song co-written by judge Kara DioGuardi and ill-suited to his voice.

(One audience wag said the tune’s exhortation — “You can go higher, you can go deeper http://floodgates.wordpress.com. Every step you climb another mountain” — made it ideal for a Stairmaster exercise machine ad.)

Lambert did a better job with “No Boundaries” and excelled on his reprise of “Mad World” and on “A Change is Gonna Come.”

“That was the best I’ve ever heard you sing — ever!” exclaimed Abdul.

But it wasn’t good enough for “American Idol” voters.

Download free mp3: David Archuleta Touch My Hand, Touch My Hand (video) Danny Gokey Hero, Pretty Young Thing, Jesus Takes the Wheel, Get Ready, What Hurts The Most, Stand by Me, Endless Love, September, Come Rain or Come Shine, Renegade (with Kris Allen), Dream On, Dear Little Sister, You Are So Beautiful Adam Lambert Satisfaction, Black or White, Ring of Fire, The Track of My Tears, Mad World, Born To Be Wild , If I Can’t Have You, Feeling Good, Whole Lotta Love, Slow Ride (with Allison Iraheta), One, Cryin’, No Bounderies, A Change is Gonna Come, Mad World (final) Kris Allen Ain’t No Sunshine, What’s Going On Lil Round The Way You Make Me Feel, ABC – Top 13 AI, Allison Iraheta Give it To Me, Papa Was A Rolling Stone Matt Giraud Let’s Get it On