Michael Jackson's Legacy, Two Years Later, By the Numbers

Legendary singer's impact continues to blossom in the two years since his death; MTV News breaks down the figures.
By Gil Kaufman


Michael Jackson
Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage

Like Elvis, Bob Marley, Notorious B.I.G. and Frank Sinatra before him, Michael Jackson's influence has continued, and grown, since his untimely death on June 25, 2009.

On the second anniversary of the King of Pop's passing, MTV News took a look at the enduring appeal of MJ's music, videos and imagery, which continue to fascinate and attract fans across the globe thanks to a series of posthumous albums, a movie, video games and two upcoming Cirque du Soleil live shows.

Where Were You Two Years Ago When You Heard the News? Tell Us on Facebook

$72 million: According to Box Office Mojo, Jackson's posthumous concert film, "This Is It," has grossed more than $72 million to date domestically and $189 million in foreign markets for a worldwide take over more than $261 million. It ranks as the #2 music documentary of all-time behind Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never." The film has also generated nearly $45 million in DVD sales in the U.S.

16: In May, Jackson lodged his first #1 on the Billboard magazine Dance/ Club Play Songs chart in 16 years with the latest single from his posthumous Michael album, "Hollywood Tonight."

2: Number of posthumous albums that have been released since Michael's death in June 2009. Last year's Michael has sold just over 510,000 copies to date, while the This Is It collection has moved nearly 1 million copies to date in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.

15,000: The number of videos submitted by fans since March for the crowdsourced video for "Behind the Mask." After they were edited down by a five-person team over two months, the resulting clip used submissions from more than 1,600 participants from 103 countries.

3 million: The amount of copies sold of the Ubisoft "Michael Jackson: The Experience" video game worldwide.

$57 million: The reported cost of Cirque du Soleil's traveling MJ show, "The Immortal World Tour, which is slated to kick off on October 2.

$1 billion: That gaudy figure is the reported amount the Jackson estate had generated by last June on the first anniversary of the singer's death. According to Billboard, the revenue was generated by a combination of music sales ($429 million), film/TV revenue ($392 million), music publishing ($130 million), licensing ($35 million) and a $31 million recording contract. (A spokesperson for Jackson's estate declined to provide updated figures for this story.)

$310 million: The amount of gross earnings reported by the executors of the estate in a December 2010 court filing detailing the progress made in paying off the $400 million in debt run up by the spendthrift singer during his lifetime.

16.1 million: MJ was always a big singles artist. Yes, Thriller is one of the best-selling albums of all time, but even in death, fans can't resist cherry-picking some of Michael's best songs. That explains why he's sold more than 16 million digital tracks since June 28, 2009, the first sales week following his passing, according to Nielsen SoundScan. To put that in perspective, from the time Nielsen began counting digital tracks in 2004 until the week before Jackson's death, the singer had sold just over 8.1 million digital tracks, a figure that has doubled in just the past two years.

2013: The projected launch for a second, non-touring Cirque show celebrating Jackson. The yet-untitled show is slated to open in the spring of 2013 at a new theater being built at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

$25 million to $50 million: That's how much Jackson's estate takes in on an annual basis thanks to his stake in the half-million-song Sony/ATV catalog, which includes titles by Elvis, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Beyoncé and Bob Dylan.

Share your memories of Michael Jackson in the comments.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666426/michael-jackson-anniversary.jhtml

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Michael Jackson Doctor's Trial Delayed

Judge pushes start of Conrad Murray's trial back to May.
By Gil Kaufman


Conrad Murray
Photo: AFP/ Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — Though Conrad Murray's lawyers had been pressing for a speedy trial, a judge in the involuntary manslaughter case against Michael Jackson's doctor ruled on Wednesday to delay opening statements in the proceedings until May.

The Associated Press reported that Murray's attorneys consented to the postponement after they discussed the matter with prosecutors and both agreed they could be ready for trial by May 9.

According to a transcript from the closed-door session, though opening statements will not begin for several months, Murray told Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor that he did not want to forfeit his right to a quick trial, but agreed to the delay if screening of prospective jurors begins as scheduled on March 24.

"It is only acceptable to me if this is not strung along over a long period of time," Murray told the justice. "I don't want to lose my constitutional right to speedy trial." Murray — who has pleaded not guilty to the charges — reportedly has been in favor of having the proceedings begin as soon as possible because he is facing financial troubles, but he said he understands that the delay is necessary to allow both sides to prepare for the trial.

Pastor consented because he said he didn't want to lose a jury pool, and believed a month-long delay might let potential jurors shuffle their schedules for the case, which could take up to two months to decide. The judge has reportedly clashed with Murray's defense team in recent weeks, pressing them for answers about why they had not turned over more witness notes and other potential evidence to prosecutors in the run-up to the trial.

Cardiologist Murray was hired to be Jackson's personal physician while the King of Pop prepared for his planned 50-date comeback series of shows at London's O2 arena in the summer of 2009. The doctor told police that he provided the then-50-year-old Jackson with sedatives and the surgical anesthetic propofol in order to combat the singer's chronic insomnia. He said he did so on the morning of June 25, 2009, when Jackson died of what a coroner deemed acute propofol poisoning.

Murray's lawyers reportedly plan to argue that Jackson was already in weak health before he died, that it's unfair to blame propofol for his passing and that, if the anesthetic was to blame, the pop superstar may have given himself the fatal dose by drinking the drug in a panic.

A status hearing in the case has been set for this Wednesday.

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Pottermore website: J.K. Rowling takes Harry Potter digital (Video)

Everyone?s favorite wizard, Harry Potter, will come to life on the J. K. Rowling new website, Pottermore.com. Rowlings has created a new way for fans to indulge themselves. Not everyone is happy, however, as she has promised to use the new Pottermore website to release new material, offering it all in HP e-book format, much to the chagrin of Amazon.com and other book selling companies. Already starting to miss your favorite characters from the Harry Potter series? Author J.K. Rowlings is launching Pottermore.com, a new website to be loaded with e-books of new material and much, much more! Image Credit: WENN.com. At a press conference, Rowling explains ?I had more than half of the new material already written or in note form. I literally dug some out of boxes. I generated more material than ever appeared in the books. I thought ?who would ever want to know the significance of all the difference wand woods?? Now you can go and see.? For the true Harry Potter fans, Pottermore.com will be become more than just a reference website to compare wands and flying brooms. There will be a social network feature, and possibly even interactive games and adventures. But make no [...]

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'Bad Teacher': The Reviews Are In!

Critics grade Cameron Diaz's irreverent flick as it enters a mixed bag of summer comedies.
By Eric Ditzian


Cameron Diaz in "Bad Teacher"
Photo: Gemma LaMana

As "Bad Teacher" opens this weekend, it joins a mixed bag of summer comedies. While we're still giggling over certain "Bridesmaids" moments and can't wait to take in a second viewing on DVD, "The Hangover Part II" left us reaching for a copy of the original film to remind us why we were so taken with that boozy cinematic bunch. But hey, the second "Hangover" has grossed almost $500 million worldwide, so what the heck do we know?

The Cameron Diaz-starring laugher, according to the critics, falls closer to the letdown that was the second "Hangover" than the revelatory "Bridesmaids." Reviewers have criticized the film for plot holes galore and poor character development, even as most have admitted it delivers a hefty helping of laughs. Read on for a deeper dive into the critics' take on "Bad Teacher."

The Story
"Director Jake Kasdan coaxes some laughs out of the film, but only Jason Segel, as a cynical gym teacher, seems like a real person instead of a caricature. Everyone else seems like they're trying just a touch too hard. Elizabeth Halsey (Diaz) gets dumped by the rich guy she was going to marry for money, forcing her to come back for another year of teaching junior-high English. But she is not without goals; her immediate one is to figure out how to get enough money to pay for breast implants, which she thinks will help her more easily land a replacement sugar daddy. The operation is tough to afford on a teacher's salary, of course. But one day handsome Scott Delacorte (Timberlake), the heir to a watch-making fortune, shows up as a substitute teacher, giving Elizabeth a suitable target." — Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

The Performances
"The movie, of course, belongs to Diaz. She's always projected a sort of girlfriend-gone-wild sass that suggested she's a hell of a lot of fun after a couple of mango margaritas; 'Bad Teacher' is one of the few films that's allowed her to show that. And not only does she show it, she flaunts it, from a wardrobe that's tighter than next year's school budget to a vocabulary that's definitely not on any standardized test. But she's not alone. The wonderful Lucy Punch — the gold digger from 'You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger' — is a nagging toothache as a too-perfect teacher. Comic actors such as Thomas Lennon drop by for brief but marvelous scenes, and Jason Segal is a menschy gym teacher. Justin Timberlake, however, remains too cool to really commit to his oddball character, a substitute teacher that the man-hungry Diaz fixates on." — Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger

The 'Bad' Comparisons
" 'Bad Teacher' wants to be 'Bad Santa' but it's afraid to go as far as Billy Bob Thornton's gleeful middle finger to holidays and proper treatment of children. So it ends up trapped in a nowhere middle-ground, somewhere between 'Bad Santa' and the equally hilarious but family friendly Jack Black movie 'School of Rock.' Both of those movies had somewhere to go and a way to get there, but 'Bad Teacher' just goes and doesn't really seem to know where it's going. The script has its moments and the cast has a few too." — Josh Tyler, Cinema Blend

The Missteps
"The main problem with 'Bad Teacher' is that it's really just one joke, which is stretched further than the uneven script by Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg (vets of TV's 'The Office') will permit. Jake Kasdan's flat direction doesn't help. ... 'Bad Teacher' has its amusing moments, but also many where you can't help wondering about the comedic choices. If you're going to have the hung-over instructor getting her young charges to watch movies all day, aren't there funnier picks than just a succession of teacher-themed movies? And if you've already decided your film is going to get an American 'R' rating — the profanity alone guarantees that — then why not take a few more risks with your comedy?" — Peter Howell, Toronto Star

The Final Word
" 'Bad Teacher' does not always connect with every joke, and there's one character in particular that seems to have been abandoned by the screenwriters midstream, but when the film works, it contains some wicked belly laughs, and I'll give Cameron Diaz credit for this: she seems delighted to play a total a--hole." — Drew McWeeny, HitFix

Check out everything we've got on "Bad Teacher."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666388/bad-teacher-cameron-diaz.jhtml

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Adriana Lima: Victoria?s Secret Photo Shoot

Adriana Lima

Showing off the new Victoria?s Secret collection, Adriana Lima looks ravishing in a brand new photo shoot. Ms. Lima dons a variety of different getups in a spread that?s sure to sell plenty of bras and panties this spring. [gallery=749]

Source: http://www.celebritygossiphollywood.com/models/adriana-lima/adriana-lima-victoria%e2%80%99s-secret-photo-shoot/

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Justin Bieber, Chris Brown's 'Next 2 U' Video Leaks

Early cut of clip depicts dramatic love stories for both singers intertwined with apocalyptic theme.
By Jocelyn Vena


Justin Bieber
Photo: Getty

Director Colin Tilley promised that the video for Chris Brown and Justin Bieber's "Next 2 U" would be "big," and a leaked early cut of the video is just that.

The whole thing plays out like a movie, complete with dialogue, drama, lots of action, and of course, singing and dancing. It opens with Brown and his love interest dancing, kissing and joking around with one another. Justin Bieber is then seen hugging and kissing his girlfriend and telling her, "I've been waiting for you all day," before presenting her with a necklace. Things get dark when the pair are caught together by her dad, who then takes her away.

"I told you not to see him again," he tells his daughter. Bieber's story is intercut with Brown's. Brown is dreaming of his girl when he looks outside and sees that the world appears to be ending around them. Cars are exploding and people are running around in a panic.

As the destruction continues, Brown stands in the street singing the love song. Meanwhile, Bieber stands on a rooftop, pining for his lady, also singing the tune.

More shots of each of the happy couples play as reminders of times when things weren't so uncertain. Viewers are reminded of the destruction by the song's lyrics, "One day when the sky is falling/ I'll be standing right next to you/ Right next to you." The couples do eventually make their way back to one another, but it's not all peachy keen when they do. Just as Brown finally meets up with his love interest after running through the streets, she's hit by a car.

As the video closes out, a big dance break takes place as Bieber's lady runs around trying to find him. They meet up on the roof where he was singing, and it appears that both couples will somehow survive their tragedies.

Before the video leaked, Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, seemed confident that fans wouldn't be disappointed by the clip. He tweeted, "Just saw a rough cut of the #NEXT2YOU video with @justinbieber and @chrisbrown ! @ColinTilley is goin' in!!"

What do you think of the rough cut of Bieber and Brown's "Next 2 U" video? Tell us in the comments.

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Clarence Clemons, Sax Player For Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, Suffers Stroke

E Street Band member, 69, suffered stroke in his home in Florida.
By Jocelyn Vena


Clarence Clemons
Photo: Getty

Clarence Clemons, legendary member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, has suffered a stroke according to The Associated Press.

A source close to the saxophonist confirmed to the AP that the 69-year-old suffered the stroke in his Florida home on Sunday night; no further details about his health were currently available at press time. However, Showbiz 411 reported that the musician's condition is very serious.

Send Clarence your well wishes on Facebook!

Most recently, Clemons was featured on Lady Gaga's massive Born This Way album, appearing on two tracks and performing with her live on "American Idol" last month.

Clemons, also known as "The Big Man," began performing with the E Street Band in 1972, giving an assist on Springsteen's debut album Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.. In addition to appearing on 20 albums with Springsteen, including the breakthrough Born to Run, he's worked with a number of other artists including Gaga, Jackson Browne and Ringo Starr. He's also appeared in films like "New York, New York"and "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure," as well as TV shows like "The Wire" and "The Simpsons."

Recently, however, he has had problems with his health, and following the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's tour in 2009, he had to have both knees replaced and a spinal fusion surgery, according to Rolling Stone. But he vowed, "As long as my mouth, hands and brain still work I'll be out there doing it."

When MTV News caught up with Gaga's longtime collaborator, Fernando Garibay, the producer recalled how excited Gaga was to hit the studio with one of her icons for the songs "Hair" and her latest single, "Edge of Glory."

"She grew up listening to Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and she goes, 'Can we get Clarence?' And I go, 'Of course we can get Clarence. You're Lady Gaga!' " he said. "You can see the years of influence and you can see her lighting up when he's playing [with her in the studio]."

Send your well-wishes to Clarence Clemons in the comments below.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1665626/clarence-clemons-stroke-lady-gaga-bruce-springsteen.jhtml

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Heidi Klum Gets Nekkid To Promote ?Project Runway?

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