NOTW interview fake, excerpts from REAL Debbie Rowe interviews.

Michael Jackson's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, confirmed that the News of the World interview circulating currently is a fake. Debbie has not yet done an interview that has been released by the public since his death. However, I dug up clips from two Debbie interviews she conducted around the time of the birth of Michael's children. Here are clips of Debbie in her own words, where she claims birthed her children to be raised by Michael Jackson, that having children was her idea, and that she didn't want to be their caretaker. She also states that their divorce was her decision.



From "The Jackson 3" NBC news segment:

Debbie Rowe comments:

On media:
"I didn’t think it was going to be this brutal. It’s very hurtful, even if it’s a lie and I don’t care what the Enquirer says, they’re not truthful. They don’t go for the facts. They go for the sensationalism, they go for the story. They don’t care who they hurt."

On MJ:

"There’s nothing that Michael could do that would humiliate me, nothing. My friendship with him is the most important thing to me and if this marriage gets in the way of that friendship, we’ll put the marriage aside but I want to go on as friends. That’s more important to me than anything else, especially with having kids."

On what kind of dad Michael is:

"The best."

On daughter, Paris, and having children:

"We’re going to name her Paris because that’s where she was conceived. I hope we have a lot of kids together. He’s such a great dad.

From Michael Jackson: The Interview You Never Saw on FOX

Debbie quotes:

On rumors:

"What’s happened in the past is things have been taken out of context, twisted around. If I can help straighten it out, as much as I don’t speak about my family, I will. Right now."

On motherhood:

"My kids don’t call me mom because I don’t want them to. They’re not…They’re Michael’s children. It’s not that they’re not my children but I had them because I wanted him to be a father. I believe that there are people who should be parents, and he’s one of them. And he is such a fabulous man and such a good friend and he’s always been there for me. Always. From the day I met him. I could do something for him, and this is what I wanted to do. I think it was 18 years, 17-18 years that I knew him when I had Prince."

On MJ being fun:

"Yeah, we had a good time. He’s always a lot of fun."

On the decision to have children after his divorce with Lisa Marie:

"No, they had broken up and I was trying to console him because he was really upset and he wanted to be a dad. So I said, be a dad. And I said, let me do this. I want to do this. You’ve been so good to me, you’ve been such a good friend. Please let me do this. You want to be a dad. Please let me do this. And I nabbed him into it, if you will."

On Michael warning her about the perils of fame and her living in the public eye:

"He said, you don’t know what they can do. And I said, come on. We’re having a baby, come on. How can that be weird? We’re having a kid. If anything, that’s beautiful, it’s wonderful, it’s great. Boy was I wrong. I found out a picture of me pregnant was worth half a million dollars.

On childbirth:

And we were very excited. Michael was definitely more excited than I was. He was so excited when I had a contraction and he was there. We had videos, we had music, and it was long. It was 23 hours. And I had very colorful language and everytime I went to say something, Michael would cut me off with ‘shoot’or 'fudge’ (i.e. Debbie's cursing). He didn’t think it was necessary when there were other words to do so. But he was there the whole time to hold my hand, stroke my head, I think I puked once and I was so embarrassed and he was like 'Stop, you’re fine. This is beautiful, this is wonderful.' I said, 'I’m going to die.' 'No your not going to die, this is great. Oh my god, this is so beautiful.' Having come from a medical background, there’s no way blood is beautiful. But he was welling up. And then his son was born. And the look on his face (Debbie begins to cry as she speaks): Talk Amongst yourselves. I’d never seen him that happy. And that’s what made it wonderful for me. Was to see the look on his face.

On the non-traditional circumstance of having your children raised by someone else:

"People don’t understand that and they want a traditional – they think someone has to be traditional and they have this notion of Beaver Cleaver. That wasn’t reality in the 50s and that’s not reality in the 21^st century. We have a non-traditional family and if that makes people uncomfortable, it’s a shame that they’re not more open. We are a family unit. I will always be there for him."

On leaving her kids:

"Left them? I left my children? I did not leave my children. My children are with their father, where they are supposed to be."

On the reason for their divorce:

"We split up because I it got to a point where I couldn’t go to a grocery store. One, I’d get followed. Two, I’d have to look at crap on the newsstands at the registers as you go out that wasn’t true. I wasn’t used to it, I like doing things for myself. I was more than generous. I didn’t have to go to the grocery store but I want to. I want to go back to what I can go back to, that’s what I was used to. It’s what I was comfortable with."

I can't confirm that Michael was or wasn't the biological parent of Debbie's children though he claims he was. I am simply presenting a transcript of Debbie's only known interviews to counter the fake recently released.

Michael Jackson Rumors Debunked

Michael Jackson was long the target of many rumors during his brief lifetime. If you are looking to hear about the court trials or Michael's skin disease Vitiligo, please refer to earlier posts for detailed information and photographs.

Other rumors will be addressed here.

Q:Did Michael sleep in a hyperbaric chamber to make himself younger?

False. Michael was a frequent guest to many hospital wards over the years where he would stop to visit and cheer up patients or visit terminally ill children. On one visit, he saw a hyperbaric chamber and asked the doctor questions about it. He wanted to know what it felt like to be inside of it, so he climbed in. Someone snapped a shot and it went around the world and the rumor was born.

Q: Did Michael buy the elephant man's bones?
False. When asked this question during an interview, Michael got a hell of a kick out of it. Despite his eccentricities, Michael was intrigued by the rumor but wondered why people thought he would buy them or where he would put them if he had.

Q: Did Michael propose to Elizabeth Taylor?
Possibly. Elizabeth Taylor denied this in a somewhat sarcastic manner when asked, but given Michael's attachment to her, it's not altogether unbelievable.

Q: Was Michael a Jehovah's witness?
True. Not towards the end of his life, but as a child and up until his mid 20s. His mother is a devout Jehovah's witness and Michael himself went door-to-door (in a disguise) at times as a young man. During the Thriller era, Jehovah's Witnesses took issue with his Thriller video and did not want it released as they thought the images were satanic. This is the reason there is a written message at the beginning of the video in which Michael expresses that the video has nothing to do with his personal beliefs in the occult. Michael left the church and by all accounts was a great scholar of religion. He didn't chose a definitive one the rest of his life, but enjoyed learning about all different religions and would attend a Baptist Church one day and a Synagogue the next. There was a picture taken of Michael's bedroom in the 90s. There was a painting of Jesus above his bed.

Q: Was Michael's marriage to Lisa Marie real?
True. Lisa Marie never wavered on this, both in her statement relating to his death as well as through their marriage and the difficult and angry times afterwards. I used to own a wedding card that these two sent to their family and friends after the wedding. It was a secret wedding so the Jacksons weren't present, though secret marriages tend to be common in their family. The world found out through the judge who married them that blurted it out to the world a month after they tied the knot.

Q: Was Michael's father abusive?
True. Michael never went into great detail about the abuse, though he did acknowledge to Oprah Winfrey that his father beat him and he mentioned that his father used to tell him he was ugly. He also confided that he would become physically ill at the sight of his father even as an adult and used to throw up upon hearing that his dad was coming to visit him.

Q: Did Michael own a chimpanzee?
True. Bubbles the chimp was one of countless exotic animals Michael owned (others included giraffes, elephants, panthers, a crocodile, peacocks, rams, etc, though Michael oddly enough had a fear of dogs. This wasn't always true as he had guard dogs as a child). Bubbles was raised with Michael until he grew too big and became dangerous. He is still alive and being cared for outside the family. Michael was a huge animal-lover and among those who funded the release of Keiko, the whale from Free Willy. He was vegetarian most of his life, at 16 vowing not to eat meat. He cheated from time to time over the years.

Q: Did Michael have a flesh-eating disease?
False. This peculiar rumor appeared and vanished in the last months of Michael's life. Michael did have Vitiligo and Lupus.

Q: Did Michael have plastic surgery?
True. This one is sort of a no-brainer. Michael had multiple surgeries, the first on his nose which was practical and a medical procedure as he broke his nose upon falling on stage when he was 20. He had numerous nose jobs and a cleft put into his chin. Michael's siblings greatly teased him about his big nose as a child, probably adding to his insecurities physically. He also didn't want to see his father Joseph in the mirror.

Q: Did Michael invent the moonwalk?
Partly. According to Michael, the inspiration from the Moonwalk came from kids he saw in the ghetto, who did a certain version of it. He took their steps and added changes and developed the Moonwalk.

Q: Was Michael gay?
Michael never directly addressed this question, and it was never directly asked on an interview. Both of his ex-wives claim they had sexual relations with him. When Oprah asked him if he was a virgin, he laughed and blushed, claiming that he was a gentleman and didn't believe such things should be spoken about openly. Michael was known to have crushes on girls as a boy and growing up. Despite his androgenous look, no evidence ever came to light that he was gay. In fact, some friends and even fans claimed that Michael was quite fond of flirting and hitting on women, which can also be evidenced in clips of "Living With Michael Jackson" the documentary.

Q: Are Michael's kids really his?
You got me. Michael's father Joseph had red hair and green eyes as a young man. LaToya also has green eyes. Michael's daughter Paris and oldest son, Prince, definitely are at least partially Debbie Rowe's which can very easily be visually identified. Michael never revealed the source of who Prince Michael II (Blanket)'s mother was, though he does bear a slight resemblance to Michael by coincidence or truth. Michael never revealed any donor information. I imagine only a handful of people know the answer to this question.

Q: Why did Michael's kids wear masks?
Michael knew what it was to live life in the spotlight with a camera shoved in your face since he was a child. He never wanted his children to share that fate but always wanted to be a dad, even as a teenager. The masks served to shield his children from prying cameras. The media did not have an accurate idea of his children's faces so they were able to go out in public without masks and live more normal lives without being followed when not with their father. They didn't wear masks at home.

Q: Who was the female voice on 'In The Closet'?
Most people think it was Naomi Campbell as she was the girl in the video. It was actually Princess Stephanie of Monaco, who supposedly briefly dated Michael. Food for thought, you can also here Notorious B.I.G. rap with Michael on his song 'This Time Around' on the HIStory album and the girl having a steamy phone conversation with Janet Jackson on her Velvet Rope album is actually Lisa Marie Presley.



Q: Did Michael ever want to act?
Michael starred in many films, not only his own videos. He was in 'The Wiz', 'Captain Eo', 'Ghosts', 'Men In Black II', and 'Miss Castaway'. He was in talks to play Edgar Allan Poe in a film that never materialized and had a desire for parts that eventually went to Johnny Depp, including Edward Scissorhands and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory. Marlon Brando gave him a few acting lessons.

Q: Did Michael do any other types of art?
Michael did the storyboard illustrations for the movie 'Mars Attacks'. He also did some sketches for Walt Disney World. Michael also did voiceover work under a pseudonym for certain episodes of the Simpsons. He was an artist of all trades.

Feel free to add or send in more questions or rumors, we will dig up the answer.

A long, necessary, heart-felt tribute to the King of Pop

A lot of people in my life have wondered over the years what it was about Michael Jackson that I loved so much. What they didn’t know was that I wasn’t unique. The media lived to say that Michael was a has-been that no one cared about anymore post-Bad era. Having been part of the fan community for nearly 2/3rds of my life, I can say this was categorically untrue, as clearly evidenced by Michael recently selling out 50 concerts (750,000) tickets in five minutes flat. While it is true that he had a more favorable reputation overseas, his USA fan base was quite extensive.

I remember the things most people do about Michael Jackson in the 80s… I remember listening to the Thriller album and jumping on the bed to the tracks with my babysitter. I remember a friend of ours who had ‘The Making of Thriller’ on VHS. I used to hide my five-year old face behind the pillow. That video is damn scary at that age. I don’t recall anything about the Bad era at the time oddly enough. My re-introduction to Michael Jackson (and ultimate fandom) resulted from “Dangerous”. I was a strong advocate against racism and frequently wrote pieces about the topic. I remember hearing ‘Black or White’, the only song on the radio at that time professing the same ideals I believed in. That’s what initially got me started. I bought the album and every track blew my mind. It was the premiere of the ‘Black or White’ video that first caught my eye. Michael literally bought a prime-time slot on FOX (right after the Simpsons) just to premiere the long version of his first video off the album. I admit I initially tuned in largely because of Macaulay Culkin who I thought was the cat’s meow. Every 11 year old did! The second I saw Michael, poor Macaulay was but a distant memory. I was transfixed. I’d never seen anything like him. Visually, musically, artistically, in any format. But what truly cemented me as fan extraordinaire was the Oprah Winfrey interview in 1993. I have seen just about every recorded interview of Michael since day one, as I own one of the largest private collections of Michael Jackson footage in the country (I’m willing to bet money on it). Of all the interviews I’ve seen, this was by far the best. They say a great interview is supposed to show you what it’s like to be that person. I have never seen Michael Jackson in rawer form. This is a testament to Oprah. Every other interviewer since (Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters, Martin Bashir, etc) treated Michael like a freakish animal they despised. They had a judgment and it clearly showed. Who wouldn’t be terribly uncomfortable and not able to be themselves? Oprah approached Michael as the human being he ultimately was. And naturally, she was delivered gold. There was so much about that interview that stung me a certain way. I guess we chose to appreciate people we can relate to. While 99% of people didn’t seem to get Michael, for whatever reason, I did. When I heard him talk about the alienation that was part of his life, the rumors, the judgment, just wanting to do good in the world and being met with so many roadblocks, it paralleled my childhood at the time. It was the first time I realized that I wasn’t alone, odd as that sounds. I was a misunderstood artsy kid. I just wanted to entertain people and make them laugh, but most didn’t understand and the laughs tended to be on me. There was this discrepancy between who I was and who people thought I was, and it seemed there was no way I could shake my label. It was also the first time I realized the power of being different. I’d always viewed it as a negative, as kids never ceased to take every opportunity to point it out. They tried to make me feel bad about it, and overwhelmingly succeeded. But when I saw Michael Jackson that night, the pain in his voice and the conviction in his soul, I suddenly was overwhelmed with strength. I realized that people who were “different” were blessed and had the ability to change the world and shape perception. They are in essence leaders and people who take our species to new and exciting places, testing the boundaries of what was possible. Suddenly my “flaw” had value and was something to be proud of. The effect it had on me was something I can’t put into words. It literally changed everything.

I’m not the first person to hear about Michael’s “healing” effect. I had a good friend in New Jersey, Diana, who was a cancer patient. She was battling a form of rare cancer and survived, crediting Michael’s music and the power of his message with giving her the strength to keep fighting. Countless stories like that have been echoed by fans everywhere and I’m sure that will long continue. Most dancers all site him as their major influence. Many of the biggest artists of our day also claim they wouldn’t be doing what they have were it not for him.

His good deeds also changed countless lives. I’d like to talk about that for a second, because it’s one of the most understated and precious qualities the man had. You never heard about it in the media, and the rare time it emerged, it was usually met with “I’m sure he just did that to promote a concert” or some such refute. It’s not surprising he never publicized his charitable work. He didn’t do it for career advancement, he already had that in abundance. The truth was that Michael Jackson had one of the biggest hearts in the business, in spite of having been the most famous man of his time as well as once being among the wealthiest and certainly most successful. He never forgot his roots as a small town poor boy from Gary, Indiana. Michael made the Guiness Book of World Records many times, not just for his countless musical achievements but for being the world’s most charitable pop star, having donated to over 40 worldwide organizations including his own. There were small stories, not counted by the press but by his fans or anyone lucky enough to bump into him on the street. Here are a few.

-There was a boy from the Middle East that Michael met at an orphanage. He needed a liver transplant which cost $250,000 to save his life. His family couldn’t afford it. Michael footed the bill and supposedly kept in touch with him via letter.
-It is well known that Michael started charity work very early in his life and always used his parents home and Neverland to send busloads of terminally ill children over and frequently visited orphanages and hospitals on every stop of his tours. He particularly took every opportunity to meet with dying children and tried to give them incentives to hold on. Such as, giving a young fan an article of his clothing and telling them he was performing in concert at such and such a time and wanted them to be there wearing that piece. He frequently wore the things they made him in remembrance once they past, such as wrist bracelets. The armband he famously wore around his jackets represented sick and dying children and he wore it as a reminder. At Neverland, he had beds built into the walls of his theater for kids that were so terminally ill they had to lay down and couldn’t sit or stand so they could watch movies. I’ve been inside of one of these there and the room also included volume controls so they could adjust the feature to their liking as well as small details like a jar of potpourri to add a touch of home.

Michael was no stranger for doing nice things for people in any condition, as evidenced by tales of people who met him over the years. I remember a guy named Brian I knew from college. He worked at the Virgin Megastore in Orlando. He claimed that when Michael came through there one night, he bought 20 DVDs for every employee that helped him and hung out in the DJ booth with the employees for hours. When he was walking around Church Street Station, he spent hours on the streets mingling and chatting up passerby’s. While he was known for being shy, he had his moments. Rarely around press, but always around fans and everyday folk. He was also known for renting out huge theater multiplexes and even Disney World (who else can do that?!) for his family and friends. He was on a commercial flight in the 90s and an old woman fell. He was the first person on the plane to rush to her and help her up, came back and checked up on her throughout the flight, and offered to drive her and her husband in his limo to their home upon the plane landing. I was at Michael’s 45th birthday party and I recall an instance where a girl got so excited seeing him she lost her shoe. Michael saw it, picked it up, went over to her and bent down on one knee and slipped it on her foot Cindarella style. The media liked to chalk Michael up as an egotist. This was absolutely untrue. I’ve never seen an artist with more humility towards their fans, he even bowed to them in thanks constantly and invited them to hang out in his hotels and wherever he went when possible. I never heard one single bad story, though I did hear he gave great hugs and squeezed you as tight as you squeezed him.

I saw Michael in person four times. The first was in 2001 the week of September 11th at Madison Square Garden in NYC. I remember seeing the black umbrella surface surrounded by countless bodyguards. He strolled the entire length of the auditorium just to create the kind of mass pandemonium and panic only he could. He always knew audience. The Jackson Five reunited, I never thought I’d ever see that. Not to mention Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Macaulay Culkin, and a zillion other legends one would be so lucky to watch. I’ll never forget the show was plagued with technical problems and Michael picked up the long pauses by cracking jokes and being funny. He was actually hilarious and had an amazing sense of humor and was tremendously charming and engaging. Each time I saw him, he was nothing like I’d read about or expected. As previously mentioned, I was at his 45th birthday bash. It was held at the gorgeous Orpheum theater in downtown LA. Crowds blocked off the streets and a live marching band even strolled through illegally just to pay their musical tribute. Inside was a two-hour long fan tribute. It was a Michael Jackson celebration party planned and orchestrated by the fans. A lot of people outside the fan community don’t know, but his fans usually planned big parties in major cities around the world on his birthday. On occasion, he would show up to one and freak everyone out. This was the case that day. I remember the fans screaming and the usual pandemonium, but he quietly sat in the wings and gave his undivided attention to the fans performing. He wasn’t there for an ego trip and made that very clear by focusing on the acts on hand and giving little attention to fanfare. He wanted to support the fans and watch them perform for a change. Eventually he went up at the end of the night and said a few humble words.

The last two times I saw him were court related. I had long been a disbeliever that he was a pedophile. Not because I was a fan and didn’t want to believe it or couldn’t have, but because I actually didn’t get my news from National Enquirer. The facts of the matter were that in both cases, the “accusers” had parents with criminal histories for suing for false claims. They claimed everything from being kidnapped and held against their will to Michael trying to steal the family and jet them off in hot air balloons to South America. It was the most ridiculous thing ever and the court transcripts were readily available everyday. A great experiment was to read what happened in court then read what papers were reporting. It was unbelievable. Very George Orwell 1984. The public ate up every ounce of it and a lot of friends in my life accused me of being stupid or gullible for not believing the same thing they did. I can tell you that I’ve read more on the topic than just about anyone and can absolutely say as a reasonable intelligent person (and objectively) that I in no way believe he was guilty. An odd appearance and a Peter Pan complex do not make anyone necessarily criminal. ::For a full markup of reasons Michael isn’t guilty and for photographic evidence that Michael did indeed suffer from Vitiligo, the rare skin pigmentation disorder, check out previous entries of this blog:: The day of the first arraignment, I was handed a white envelope by the Nation of Islam, who were working as Michael’s bodyguards at the time. It was an invitation to lunch at Neverland that day, one of the most surreal and greatest experiences I ever had. I was able to roam the ranch for hours, going wherever I wanted and doing what I wanted (within reason, haha). The second time I went to see him at the courthouse, he bought us all pizza. My vote for his innocence was not affected by this generosity, though it was a great example of the humanity I’d heard about.

(I will post about my trip to Neverland in a future posting for anyone interested. I can copy-paste the details from my e-Diary).

Overall, being a fan meant for me so many things. I’ve never seen anyone in my life with half as much talent. I’ve never seen anyone who can sing like that, move like that, do anything to that caliber. The thing I admired the most about Michael was his ability to retain humility in the face of everything he experienced, and to continue to believe in himself and in humanity no matter how much they trampled him. He never stopped doing good things and caring about the world, and that made me care about him. I wish the rest of the world had seen what I’d seen and I don’t think people will even begin to fathom what the world has just lost, even in a time of complete unoriginality in entertainment and a lack of basic goodness floating around in the business.

My heart is heavy and my thoughts are profound tonight. I have great sorrow for the Jackson family in particular, many of whom I have met and seen and had varied experiences with, all positive. My thoughts are especially with Michael’s mother Katherine, the heart of the family, who must be taking this the worse of all. At Neverland, the main road within the ranch was called “Katherine St.” I think it said a lot. Also, my heart goes out to Michael’s children, who despite their masks and rumor, are said to be extremely normal well-behaved polite kids who loved their dad. Michael put his life on hold for them since they were born, and I’m sure they were incredibly loved.

And to Michael himself, I’m not sure words really begin to describe how truly awe-inspiring you were and how truly special you were. You were on in a billion, and I will always be grateful to you for the sacrifices you made to entertain the world and the selflessness you held so true. Thank you for being you. If there’s a heaven, I’m sure there’s a giant place for you there, and that you’ve left behind penny-loafers no other entertainer can wear.

Rest in Peace, Michael.

Weeds Season 4 review: I'll pass this weed, FAST.

The catchy theme song we all loved to sing along with while getting excited for the latest episode is gone, replaced by clever logos and an imaginative script. Too imaginative, to say the least. Remember when Nancy was a bad mother who at least tried to do well by her children? When Doug was always comedy gold, Celia was bitchy but loveable, and Shane was innocent? Sadly, those days are over, folks. Never have I seen a cast once so endearing transform into characters I wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole. Thank God for El Andy, who at least retains his charm and seems to be the only character winning over more audience love with time.

Nancy Botwin is now officially a horrible person. One of the fascinations of this show was watching her balance that thin line between Suburbia and the Grasslands while juggling single parenthood. She was imperfect; a poor decision maker for sure, but at least she tried to bridge the gap between her growing(ly distant) sons. Her character has now officially all but given up any effort at all at maternal humanity. She goes through so many men that I’ve lost count and didn’t have time to form any sort of attachment with any of those characters except Conrad, who despite all those seasons of subtle romantic build-up, all but disappears from this latest season. Even Guillermo nosedived into awful. And when did Doug become a grouchy demanding irritant? Wasn’t he everyone’s favorite member of Agrestic? By the way, whatever happened to Agrestic? Oh yeah. Up in flames like everything else in the series. Agrestic played such a central role in the series it was a character unto itself. No more. The Botwins now live by the seaside in Ren-Mar where they engage in plenty of acts that are anything but comical. Celia’s character was initially written to be the next-door-neighbor, mother, and wife from hell (and the friend you should never double cross). Over the seasons, her character has melted into sheer terror. There is NOTHING funny about locking your ex-husband in a closet and abusing him. I’m pretty darn liberal when it comes to my sense of humor, but a lot of what is being pawned off as comedy is atrocious and completely amoral beyond belief, even for a TV show. I’m actually insulted that some of this is intended to be funny and frankly, disturbed by the implications. I guess the only realistic aspect of this show is that Shane and Silas would find their way into the drug underworld relatively early in life given their upbringing.

This is certainly NOT the season I’d ever want to watch. The entire thing was blanketed in a darkness so thick and storylines so unpleasant I dare not purchase the season and will gladly forget it ever happened if Season Five can resurrect any shred of credibility to its twisted fate. What was once ground-breaking comedy is more mangled than Celia's pillbox. Again, not funny. Part of what makes a great comedy last is material that actually accomplishes strong laughs and develops characters we can all relate to and love in spite of their flaws. I can't fathom any liking for any of these people this season. After all that viewing, it appears the show is indeed made of ticky-tacky and like everything else on TV, looks just the same.

Timothy Treadwell vs. Steve Irwin

I clearly remember where I was when I first heard the news. In the terminal of the Atlanta airport about to catch a flight to Paris. "Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin killed by stingray" scrolled across the news screen. Stingrays are oddly my favorite animal and I have pet countless rays and swam alongside thousands. I was in absolute shock to hear of his passing. I had a trip to go on and was rather preoccupied for the next few weeks when I returned home to hear about the tragic loss of a good friend of mine at a young age. Eventually, I did have time to think about Steve Irwin's strange journey and was saddened by the news and mostly for his young children who would grow up without a father.

Steve was one of those guys you felt you knew, he was a father-figure sort to kids around the world with his daring exploits to exotic locales peppered with all sorts of dangerous predators he loved to show you. It was wonderful that Steve cared so much about the conservation of wild life and educating young people. However, there were clearly better ways to have gone about it. Steve didn't just take you into an animal's world and show it to you, he would go up to the creature, pick it up, and many times taunt it, poking it and trying to provoke it to attack. Partly to show off it's defense mechanisms, and partly out of machismo. That aspect didn't seem too congruent with respecting wildlife but Steve was an entertainer. He well knew the risks of such behavior. He was almost a godly figure to his wife who followed him all over and to his friends and team, who all seemed completely baffled when something awful finally happened. Steve supposedly thought he would die young, but not at the hands of an animal. Despite his obvious knowledge on animals, he seemed to perceive himself as invincible when handling animals, exposing himself and his loved ones to constant risks, medic on hand or not. I remember the controversy surrounding Steve when he held his brand new baby Bob Irwin in one hand and fed a giant crock meat with the other. The audience was horrified and his actions met with international outrage. Steve responded by scoffing at his critics and boasting that he knew what he was doing and that he would never expose his child to any real danger. (Because feeding a giant killing machine a few feet away from a newborn is a totally sane harmless choice). Steve clearly thought himself a Crocodile Dundee, some larger-than-life character unbound to the same rules as the rest of us mere mortals in the face of wilderness. Contrary to his own flawed beliefs, NO ONE, no matter how smart, can predict an animal's every move.

Brushes with death were a recurring theme in Steve's life. I recall watching footage Steve and his then-brand wife Terri rock climbing. For some unknown reason, they didn't have much protective gear at all and Terri nearly lost her life that day, slipping to what would have easily been her death if Steve hadn't managed to find strong footing and pull her up with one arm. She seemed visibly pissed afterward, though I have to wonder which genius decided this was a good idea. How many times were Terri and those children constantly exposed to situations that could have easily turned upside down? As strong as Steve was, he couldn't possibly have controlled it all. The footage of the sting ray incident was billed as a freak accident; as a stingray lover, one of the things I love the most about this alien creature is how gentle and majestic they can be. Human deaths caused by sting rays are astoundingly low in recorded history. A stingray rarely attacks unless it is provoked, such as stepped on or caught on a hook. According to Steve's camp, the camera was somewhere in front of the stingray, shooting Steve swimming alongside rays. Steve was swimming above the ray when it was supposedly startled by the camera and thurst its tail upwards, penetrating Steve's heart with its barb. The stingray's thrust didn't kill him (and it's possible he could have survived if the appropriate action was taken; a man who was stung in the heart by a stingray barb was successfully treated). Steve's death was the result of his impulsive decision to pull the barb out which caused instant death. He probably didn't know just how deep in the barb actually was and I'm guessing it was panic as the worse thing you can do in a puncture situation is to rip out the object. (Remember that, folks). It seems a bit suspicious to me that a camera startled the ray. If Steve Irwin handled the stingray as he did every other poisonous animal he encountered on TV, my guess is that it was poked or provoked in some fashion and Steve's team didn't want to release that information. Either way, we'll never know as the tapes were destroyed against Steve's wishes. He once proclaimed on TV that if he ever died while being eaten by a croc or some such scenario, he wanted the camera to keep rolling.

The tragedy was obviously very sad, but I can't say it was altogether unpredictable. Much of Steve's work was educational in nature, but constant provocation was unnecessary and a show of ego. Steve wasn't the king of the jungle or the sea, he was another man trying co-exist with nature. Such an event could have happened at any point in his career and if it didn't happen in the sea that day, there is a big possibility it would have happened in another fashion. You can only luck out so many times. The thing that really gets me is how shocked everyone who knew him the most was. They clearly bought into the myths Steve was bent on perpetuating. Clearly, the family hasn't learned it's lesson. The other day, I saw a picture of Bindi Irwin with a huge snake wrapped around her neck. Not in some loose necklace fashion but literally with it's body completely twisted a few times around her neck in a tight fit. I can't imagine what prompts them to continue to play with fire and have pretty negative feelings about Terri Irwin having Bindi work so much after Steve's death and trying to get little Bob a show of his own. Those two children are beautiful and I'm sure they will continue to preserve wildlife and educate the public. I just hope they find more constructive means of doing so and learn their father's lessons.

Which brings us to yet another example of overly cocky man vs. beast. Timothy Treadwell, otherwise known as the man who lived amongst grizzly bears for 13 summers. I recall his appearance on The David Letterman Show where Dave asked him if he was "one of those guys that's going to end up on TV eaten by bears". Of course it was a joke and he passed it off as such and denied such an event, yet sadly it was a foreshadowing of events to come. Treadwell was certain no harm could come to him at the claws of a Grizzly, he claimed he knew how to assert his dominance in their environment and could peacefully live amongst them. Sadly, while at his campsite with his girlfriend, the two were killed and partially ingested. Recording actually existed (audio, not video, as the cap was still on the camera). Only one copy of the recording exists and it has never been available to the public, though partial transcripts exist. Apparently, Treadwell and the bear struggled. He shouted to his girlfriend that the bear was killing him and to help him. Apparently, they had no appropriate protection with them despite living in the woods and dealing with dangerous animals. He was heard yelling to his girlfriend to "get a frying pan". I was horrified to think that he was getting survival tips from Yogi the Bear cartoons. Thing about the logistics of this. An 800 lb bear is already about four times the weight of a human and is covered with fur and insulation. What on earth is a frying pan going to do, even if you get a good spot?! I am horrified that these two had zero weapons at their disposal despite their lifestyle and location. (PLANNING IS EVERYTHING. No one wants to think the worse is going to happen, but sometimes, it inevitably does. Be prepared.) These two should have known better, and anyone willingly subjecting themselves to these living conditions should absolutely know all of this. It's that same "Nothing will happen...I'm invincible...I know what I'm doing" mentality and naivete that kills. These men were not superheroes. Sometimes I wonder who is more delusional about their reality, the men who do this or the women who blindly follow them. Surely, there must have been SOMETHING of better use lying around. A pole from the tent? At least that could provide some leverage and distance, though I doubt even that would have done much. I'm sure there is little time to make decisions during emergency situations, but that's why it's so important to make a good one prior to acting. I'm sure the emotion involved must have been incredible. No one wants to see their loved one in peril and naturally people will do what they can to change the outcome but they should do so realistically. As romantic as it is that this woman tried to save her boyfriend, the woman was biologically far less equipped to successfully fight that bear off than he must have been unless she had a weapon on hand. There is a documentary available about Treadwell directed by Werner Herzog, "Grizzly Man". RIP.

Naturally, my heart goes out to the people in these tragedies and their families. I hope that the general public learns from these accidents and doesn't watch reruns of the Croc Hunter with ideas that any of this is something they should try while out and about. Just as in the recent story of the woman who had an adult primate at home with her who ripped off her face, people need to be aware that animals are unpredictable, no matter how trained they are. Especially wild animals that humans are thoroughly warned about interacting with in such an intimate manner.
(To that person housing a tiger in their basement - I know you're out there - DON'T DO IT! And if you do, make sure you are prepared for anything.)

Lesson: Ego scores 1000 points. Man scores zero. Komodo dragon takes all. Including Sharon Stone's husband's toe. (By the way, what was up with THAT?! Who told him to get into a cage with a Komodo dragon? My point exactly. Think people. Think!)

The Return of the Jon & Kate Plus 8 Thread

Yes, you knew a follow-up post was in order. I hope this has proven to all of you that PopSpiracy knows it's shizzle! Prior to any of this Kate-and-the-bodyguard nonsense and tabloid frenzy that has ensued, I warned you about these sneaky devils.


So here is the latest on the Gelflings Gosselins.

Apparently, Kate has sought refuge in the arms of her bodyguard while Jon is allowed to run around town and date women. The two have an open marriage, according to Kate's brother and his wife (Aunt Jodi). Now, in general, I don't believe everything I read. Neither do you, and that's why you're here at PopSpiracy getting your fix. That said...


What on earth does Kate Gosselin need a bodyguard for??? Where is Jon's bodyguard?!

Jon needs more than that. Perhaps one day he'll grow a pair. Until then, I don't know how Kate can continue to claim that they aren't celebrities when they: a) have a hit TV show b) have no anonymity c) have bodyguards d) eat at five star celebrity restaurants when in LA e) Kate can afford hundreds of dollars a haircut and makeover constantly f) Jon bought a new sportscar.

Foolish Kate thinks she can control the world, as brilliantly evidenced when she started hurling insults at tabloids, not knowing that they CONTROL THE UNIVERSE and are now going to go after her with all they've got. Great job stirring up the hornet's nest, Kate. That might be the rule in your house, but your house is now public domain, thanks to the choices you two have made for your family.

Confucius (or whomever) says: NEVER bite the hand that feeds you.

That said... have any of you noticed the timing of all of this? How odd that all of this controversy has to come right before the premiere of the next season of the show. Looks like the ratings of the show are in desperate need and the Gosselins are in hyperdrive trying to make sure the show doesn't get canceled. My guess is that the marriage already ended quite some time ago and they are just staying together to keep the money rolling in. When the show does get the plug pulled (and trust me, it will) there will be 8 multiples running around Pennsylvania with 2 unemployed parents. Brilliant strategy, J & K.

I am stunned by the sheep that continue to be blinded to the truth and defend these two. "You try having 8 kids!" or "They are just trying to provide for college..."

You are right. I don't have 8 kids. But I know people who are part of HUGE families, in which BOTH parents actually have to work and don't have the privilege of having their house and all of their possessions paid for by their own children. There are ways around this, and child exploitation is not it. Just ask OctoMom who is currently being sued by the state of Cali for trying to build a reality TV show around her multiples. The Gosselin kids sadly don't have the legal protection they deserve living out in PA. As for college... don't even kid yourself into thinking that there is going to be a cent left for those kids once they hit college age. Who knows what college in our country will look like 13 years from now anyway. If the landscape looks the same, BOOHOO - the Gosselin kids will have to work and get grants and scholarships or join public service or military life like everyone else in the same position. At the rate those two are spending, that money is going to be gone within five years.

Kate has also been arguing that her children "love" the camera crew and get excited when they come over. I have news for her, camera crews aren't family. She has managed to alienate her own family from her children's lives. Now, she has given them this "surrogate" family that is simply there for the purpose of money. The second that show ends (soon), those crews will be gone in a flash, and if there is any truth to the kids loving them, once again they will be deprived of even more social ties. Ye gads, imagine how traumatized these kids are going to grow up to be having everything of REAL value being ripped away from them and replaced by nonsense that won't bring them happiness or last another five years...

PopSpiracy says:

Jon & Kate = SUCK!

Dr. Drew is a hack.

I first came across the words of Dr. Drew Pinksy via Loveline, the once-MTV program turned radio show. Callers would phone the show with any number of sexual problems and scenarios for Dr. Drew, co-hosts, and guests to toss in their 2 cents. Most of the "advice" callers received arrived in the form of jokes and a condescending attitude, a fabulous response to people calling with real problems. Well, most of them were real. The ones that weren't deserved everything they got... Within 30 seconds of talking to a caller, Dr. Drew had already given them a diagnosis and the majority were told that they were sexually abused as children, whether they remembered it or not. It is actually completely unethical and incorrect for a doctor to diagnose a patient they haven't even met with based on dialogue that doesn't even last one minute. Dr. Drew is not the all-seeing eye of the universe, which would probably shock the hell out of him. People are complex machines unable to be broken down in a millisecond. I was often taken aback by some of the comments and smugness of Dr. Drew towards people in need.

Now, Dr. Drew is onto reality shows (surprise, surprise). First there was the Celebrity Rehab on VH1, which followed a group of addicts on the road to recovery. Then came Sober House, which chronicled the transition of addicts from a rehab clinic into sober living prior to taking their lives completely back in the real world. Initially I thought the concepts of the show were interesting, then I actually thought about what I was watching from the perspective of the guinea pigs who were a part of it. Whether they signed contracts to be on the show or not, this experiment is highly immoral and bound to lead to failure among the participants. The presence of cameras undoubtedly affects human behavior. The last thing addicts need is extra stimulation and reasons to act out. Suddenly, the patients are more concerned about getting their daily dose of publicity than actually taking their recovery seriously. It's not a surprise most of the individuals on the show are still relapsing constantly. How could they not??? The very idea of bringing cameras into the world of addicts breaks two of the cardinal 12 traditions of AA, NA, and recovery programs (which have 'Anonymous' as part of their title for a reason:


11. ... we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

(Source: The 12 Traditions of AA)

Nothing can break sobriety like people already obsessed with fame having more opportunities to access the very world that has contributed to the excess that put them at a rehab facility. These patients are going through very private battles which they can only weather under anonymous conditions. Dr. Drew is well-versed in this and doesn't appear to care about the success rate of his patients recoveries but rather getting his own name out in the public eye.

I discussed this matter with a good friend of mine who successfully fought the perils of addiction and turned his life around. He has since been sober for over a decade and is living a very fulfilled life. He can't stand these reality shows, which he finds to be a horrid idea and damaging to not only the participants but the fields of recovery themselves. He is correct to point out that such scenarios including cameras create opportunity for great conflict and drama, the essence of "watchable" TV. He also points out that many of these people are has-beens anyway and their addiction is suddenly affording them the opportunity to get famous again, so what message does that send out?

Clearly, these addicts are not a priority for anything but good ratings. My heart goes out to these people who are obviously under tremendous strain and are poor decision makers, proven by their decision to compromise recovery by signing onto one of these shows. I have no idea how Dr. Drew thinks he can justify such behavior, but I'd like to see him try. He writes extensively about ego, narcissism, and celebrity, three things that seem to describe him to a T.