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Two days after Michael Jackson’s estate blasted Discovery Channel for their decision to air a documentary about the autopsy of the late pop star, the cable channel has pulled the program off the schedule. “Given the commencement of legal proceedings beginning next week, and at the request of Michael Jackson’s estate, the scheduled broadcast of the medical documentary related to Michael Jackson’s official autopsy has been postponed indefinitely,” the network said in a statement. The letter to Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav triggered a petition by fans against the special, which was slated to air across Europe in January.
In their letter, the Michael Jackson estate co-executors John Branca and John McClain called the network’s decision to air the documentary “shockingly bad taste, insensitive to Michael’s family and appears motivated solely by your blind desire to exploit Michael’s death, while cynically attempting to dupe the public into believing this show will have serious medical value.” They also objected to a print ad for the special (picture on right), which they called “debased, sick and insensitive.”
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It was a dumb idea in the first place.
Dumb because they didn’t call it: “Alien Autopsy 2”
And that’s Reality TV for ya ! Just imagine the day when we don’t have to subscribe to a blanket of channels and can actually order the channels we want. Executives like those can kiss their subscription money (maybe even their jobs) goodbye.
Here’s a theory for all you conspiracy theorists out there:
#1 – Oprah has a financial relationship with Discovery Networks (where her OWN channel is housed).
#2 – Oprah claims to have been friends with Jackson.
#3 – Who do you think got Discovery to kill this show?
Good gosh, that promo image is morbid. How utterly tasteless.
So now the Estate of Michael Jackson are de facto producers and editors of Discovery content? Wow. I can’t believe the estate accused the Network of “bad taste.” How ironic. I, for one, am not interested in the findings of the documentary but someone of MJ’s stature warrants this type of attention. They can’t have it both ways. They can’t pick and choose or censor the coverage he gets. Their job is to put the best spin on whatever coverage finds its way to the public. This is still a free country.
Just because you can do something, per the freedoms given to us in this country, does not mean you should. How would you feel if it was someone close to you? Just because he’s famous doesn’t mean people should be this exploitive with his death. And yes, his family does have the right to pick and choose his coverage if that coverage crosses a line. They have freedoms in this country too.
Common sense?
Any photo’s would come from the “LAPD”…..am I wrong?
Every TV network, newspaper and magazine “cynically exploited” the death of Michael Jackson when he died. His estate, his family (immediate and extended), and Sony Muisc “cynically exploited” his death when they released the rehearsal footage as a feature film and subsequently as a video. Really, what’s the difference between what they all did and what Discovery wanted to do? Simple, the estate wasn’t going to get a cut of it. I’m certain if the executors of his trust could have gotten a piece of the ad revenue they would have been fine with the ‘exploitation’.
And the print ad is genius.
It’s not exactly “genius” if it helped contribute to the show getting pulled.
The fans love the film and new album, see the response globally. No one can deny his legacy left behind. Only American bash him when he was alive.
I agree that the ad is brilliant and has nothing to do with the show being pulled.
I find the Jackson family’s numerous TV appearances (Oprah included) and their desire to release 7 (probably) sub par MJ albums, etc to be in the poorest taste of all. (I say ‘probably’ because haven’t we already seen this in the first album released – not really MJs best work and is, at best, a money making scheme by the family – not something they’re doing to make the fans happy).
The Jackson family (nor any other celebrity) cannot have it both ways – you can’t push yourselves into everyone’s home and then complain when people become interested. Sorry, while I find the idea of the special ghoulish, it’s a free country and it’s too bad that the pussy execs at Discovery caved. But why am I not surprised?
Once a fan of the quality and integrity of Discovery, I am so disappointed that they’d go this low in an attempt for ratings. This Zaslov should look for another job. He’s not capable of the position he holds. Doesn’t understand what makes this channel special or the fans who respect it I’m done weth this channel as I so hope are many people.They should be embarrassed
Why on earth are you surprised? Discovery Network owns the Exploitation Channel… otherwise called TLC.
You can’t seriously see the difference between rehearsal footage, a CD of music, and a recreation of Michael’s autopsy? Maybe CSI ghouls would like it…
Bad taste and a good call to pull the “special”.
Bad theory, PopMedia. Oprah’s been using the Jackson’s to boost her ratings all season. There was a huge fan outpouring to stop this as well as pressure from the Jackson family and estate.
Puhleeze… Oprah was no friend of MJ’s.
Discovery showed poor taste all the way around. At least they did the right thing by canceling it.
One look at that poster: THAT is pretty much the very definition of bad taste.
That’s a shame. I wouldn’t have minded watching that.
The executors stepped up and called out Discovery on a shameful program, and an even more shameful ad. It’s about time TV programmers were held accountable for the garbage they try to put on the air. They should be congratulated. It’s amazing they pulled this in such a short period of time. It’s great to see people can make a difference.
he is a child molester. He deserved sympathy from the devil only
forget what it means for him. he’s gone, and airing it won’t change the facts of what transpired during his lifetime. what does it mean for our society to air shit like that.? it’s gross, and I for one am thankful it’s not airing, regardless of what did or didn’t happen with Jackson and those kids.
Of course it’s a tasteless, crass piece of garbage. But reports the Jackson Family and their reps were howling about a lack of sensitivity and taste are hilarious. The guy wasn’t dead a day before the family was milking it and him. They’ve been banging on him so hard every day since that from afar it LOOKS like they’re still giving him CPR.
From the family’s hospital-arrival entrances/performances for the paps, to the multi-camera coverage and production of the funeral, through Mom and the kids chatting with Oprah, to the “concert” rehearsal “movie,” to the posthumous release of music… and on and on to ad nauseum, the family and their “representatives” have made their standards clear.
I happen to suspect their TRUE objections are more likely along the lines of the fact that THEY didn’t come up with the idea, the realization that none of them is getting a substantial piece of the action, and NONE of the brothers were “hired” as producers, consultants and other make-work slots with big pay checks accompanied by interviews on ET and TMZ.
Had most or all of those steps been made a part of the project from the start, weeping MJ fans would have been holding viewing parties, surely with glossy “collector’s edition viewing guides” in hand – including “high quality reproductions” of the coroner’s report and death certificate, all approved by the family and available for ordering on-line, payable by credit card or Paypal.
This must be the first time that “shockingly bad taste and insensitivity” has kept anything from being broadcast.
Something with Michael Jackson I might have actually watched. Oh well.
If I was Discovery going up against MJ’s estate and a guy named John McClain I would have caved too. I ain’t fuckin’ with Die Hard man!
If Michael Jackson was an Alaskan King Crab, an ice trucker, or a UFO, Discovery never would have canceled the show. All Discovery discovers any more is the underside of the bottom of the barrel.
Can’t believe this got green lighted in the first place. Television has become incredibly lurid in the last few years, especially all those needlessly gory crime shows. It’s all very entertaining if you are one step from being a necrophiliac.
Jacko was a pedophile. Who cares about giving him respect when he treated so many kids in a criminal fashion. Lock up the pee-wees because there is no cure.
Zaslav has driven the once great Discovery brand into the ground. Yet they still try to wear this halo and pretend that somehow their programming is better or different than their competitors. In fact, they are leading the race to the bottom of the barrel.
Really how warped is our society that this was even considered ? What sick human would want to watch this ?
All I have to say is F%$#%$ the Jackson Family, Jermaine is a Jernasty, Joe is a sick abusive creep and MJ might have been a Klistmaphalic Pedophile.
I was looking forward to this show, just to see if the mentioned if MJ had tampons jammed up his ass when he died.
This is the same Jacksoff family that did not pay the crews that worked on the Jackson Family Honors debacle for 2 years after it aired. The still act like the low class thieving swill that live sin Gary IN.
The stopped this show because they do not want the truth to come out on how much of a freak MJ was. Now that he is dead they need to turn his legacy into a cash cow as I do not see any other family members including Janet doing anything big to bring in the cash.
“I was looking forward to this show, just to see if the mentioned if MJ had tampons jammed up his ass when he died.”
you are one sick puppy
Hey people, why you can not leave Michael alone, even now when he is so far away from you?! Please, stop it, stop yourself being bad because one day you will pay for it.