Jim Haysom | This Is Your Life an internet professional in digital advertising

Michael Jackson and Number 13: The Good, Bad, Ugly and Odd

Today is Friday 13th, a day in which most people when doing something, might err on the side of caution.  It's also known to be a day of good luck and not just bad luck, but as it nears midnight I am undecided on that one.

However, the number 13 does seem to be  synonymous with pop legend Michael Jackson.  Being a MJ fan since a small child, I was ever so excited to have bought a ticket for his 'This is It' O2 show in London.  But looking back at some recent dates around actually buying and receiving the ticket, I'm convinced that the number 13 was both good luck and bad luck for Wacko Jacko.  Below is a highlight of my findings, which I'm sure you will find really odd.

The Good - Legend and King of Pop

Undoubtedly the greatest pop star and musicial of modern times, Michael Jackson was a legend.  His personal story touches the hearts of millions, from the Jackon 5 days right up to the current day, but his musical genius is evident in what he achieved;

13 Grammy Awards won with 8 for Thriller

13 #1 Singles in the U.S. Billboard 200 Albums Chart

13 Number One singles in his solo career, more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era

13 Million copies of his Invincible album approximately sold worldwide, debuting at the top of the charts in 13 countries.

13 Countries pushed Number Ones album to the number one spot on their iTunes chart.  The singer's albums were also dominating Apple's iTunes download charts with a Jackson album topping the chart in 13 different countries.

13 songs in the UK singles chart

That's quite a lot of 13's for my liking.  Is that just luck, or is someone trying to tell us something?

The Bad - 'This Is It'  concert at the O2 Arena, London 

My experience of the last planned concert to see Jackson seems to be riddled with the number 13;

13 March 2009 - I bought my tickets  from Ticketmaster for the O2 concert that was scheduled for Monday 3rd August 2009.  Having got up stupid early, I was fortunate to be one of the lucky ones who got a ticket albeit queuing online and getting the confirmation after a 4 hour shopping ordeal on the 13th March 2009.  It was meant to be only a 10-night stand, but as it was extended to 50 dates which eventually sold out.  My ticket was for the 13th concert.  In the end, 4 shows got cancelled and re-arranged due to the delays for the opening night, with all the This Is It concert dates shown here on The O2 website.

13 April 2009 - With all the buzz in the run up to the This Is It concerts, and the publically known debts that Michael Jackson was crippled with, some of his personal items were going to be put up for auction.  The items go on display at 'The Collection of the King of Pop - Michael Jackson,’ exhibition on the 13th April 2009.  Now it gets pretty wierd that the exhibit also includes 13 gloves, each one covered in 'iridescent Swarovski loch rosen crystals.' 

13 July 2009 - This was meant to be the Opening night.  Gutted.  I really did feel sad on this day, and I'm sure the thousands who staged a mass vigal event for Michael Jackson outside the O2 publicised on Facebook also felt the same.

13 August 2009 - Trying to get any information from Ticketmaster related to the refund status or information on the souvenir tickets is like getting bloody from a stone.  It's one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever had.  No telephone numbers or email addresses, just an online form which creates a support ticket.  I was so annoyed, I even set up an online Twitition asking them to hurry up with sending the Michael Jackson souvenir tickets, but no-one voted.  I finally received an email from Ticketmaster on the 13th August 2009, with the opening line, "Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support centre.  Below is a summary of your request and our response."  It was not a summary, but more a dump of all information related to the event, no personalisation at all.  In the email there was a section saying, "No souvenir tickets have been dispatched yet. We are aiming to send all tickets out within 30 days."  It's no surprise that the BBC programme Watchdog editor  investigated 'Where are those Jackson tickets?'. 

13 September 2009 - Just as I sit at home at the weekend, thinking that vastly overdue souvenir ticket should arrive tomorrow, more salt is rubbed in.  Sony Pictures have worked with AEG to release a movie which includes the footage of MJ rehearsing for the O2 gig.  And it's the bloody 13th of the month when they premiere the 'This Is It' movie trailer at the MTV VMA's (Video Music Awards).

13 October 2009 - Hooray, my souvenir ticket arrives and OMG, it's the 13th!  And not only do I get this holographic ticket, but I also got a commemmorative booklet too!  Priceless.

Below is a video from ITN that shows you limited edition Michael Jackson hologram concert tickets that Jacko actually helped design.  Not surprising some people thought it was a rip off to offer a souvenir ticket instead of a refund.

#

13 November 2009 - Well, I have to say this was a semi-coinscidence.  Writing this blog post today or all days.

The Ugly - The Accusations and Trials

Unfortunately for Michael Jackson, his private life almost upstaged his professional life.  Whether it was Bubbles the chimpanzee, his bizarre treatment and public showings of his kids in masks, the dark days really were the child molestation accusations.  13 really is an unlucky number if you consider the below to be true, but lucky for the outcome for Jackson;

In the summer of 1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler.  After a major pay off, recent stories are saying that this accusation was simply a lie;

In a series of interviews with Martin Bashir, broadcast in 2003, as Living with Michael Jackson, Jackson was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with Gavin Arvizo, 13, who also later accused him of sexual abuse;

Jackson was indicted for four counts of molesting a minor, four counts of intoxicating a minor, one count of abduction, and one count of conspiring to hold the boy and his family captive at his Neverland Ranch. He denied all counts and asserted that he himself was the victim of a failed extortion attempt. On June 13, 2005, the jury found Jackson not guilty on all charges.

The Odd - Conspiracy Theories

And finally...

13 June 2007 -  A hardcover book is published called Michael Jackson Conspiracy, and I might just buy this on Amazon to read.

And the Michael Jackson Conspiracy Theory #13: Time Travel - Check out the link and realise that Jackson actually died thousands of years ago and not on 25 June 2009.

Freaky isn't it! 

Please leave a comment below, as I'm interested to know what people's thoughts are about this wierd phenomenon.