'Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson' by Ian Halperin, veteran celebrity chronicler and journalist, promises to reveal startling new information about the pop icon that will make it the most definitive biography yet, according to the publisher, Simon Spotlight Entertainment, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. It is scheduled for release on July 14th."If you think you know everything there is to know about Michael Jackson you're wrong,'' Jennifer Bergstrom, vice president and publisher of the imprint, says in a prepared news release. "Ian has uncovered startling new information."
In 'Unmasked,' Halperin, who made the eerily prophetic revelation in December 2008, that Jackson had only six months to live, concludes that Jackson was not a child molester, Bergstrom says. Halperin also examines Jackson's prescription drug use and his ties to Scientology, she says. Just days after Jackson's death, Halperin wrote a revealing article for the Daily Mail Online in which he reported that the King of Pop said, as he feverishly prepared for his sold out 'This Is It' comeback tour, "I'm better off dead. I'm done'' because he lacked the physical and emotional stamina to perform 50 dates. But a dress rehearsal video obtained by CNN shows an energetic Jackson performing just two days before he passed away.
'Unmasked' was originally scheduled to be published as a lead-up to Jackson's tour, reports say. But his untimely death threw the book's publisher, Transit Publishing, the small Montreal-based company, into a last-minute scramble to update the biography. In the meantime, Transit sold the U.S. rights to Simon Spotlight Entertainment. Deputy Publisher Anthony Ziccardi negotiated the deal for U.S rights with Jarred Weisfeld of Objective Entertainment on behalf of Halperin and Transit Publishing, Bergstrom says. Executive Editor Lauren McKenna will edit the book.
Halperin is the author or coauthor of five books, including 'Fire and Rain: The James Taylor Story,' 'Celine Dion: Behind the Fairytale,' and 'Who Killed Kurt Cobain?'
'Michael: In His Own Words,' is scheduled for release this week by Johnson Publishing Co., publisher of EBONY and Jet magazines, according to Richard Prince's JOURNAL-ISMS column. It will feature previously unseen photos, 5,000 words from Jackson himself, and celebrity tributes from Berry Gordy to Rev. Al Sharpton to Ne-Yo, Prince writes. For ordering information go to Ebonyjet.com
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Comments: (74)
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By: Rosemary Harrell on 7/05/2009 10:33PM
i am a huge m.j. fan and i will definitly buy this book. it will be on the new york times best sellers list for a very long time.
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By: lvgo on 7/24/2009 6:54AM
There were only TWO lawsuits. The first one he paid money to make it go away, not because he was guilty but because he wanted it to do just that "go away" so he could go on with his life. I enjoy watching documentaries about these types of mysteries.
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If your child was molested and if it was true there is no way in the world a "parent" would accept money and not want to see justice done. It was about money. PERIOD. The second one, he may have felt like "this time I'm g
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By: Angel on 7/06/2009 5:56PM
He was not dangling a child over the balcony as the news liked to say but trying to show his son to the public. Many people hold their babies wrong or facing the wrong way. The media has everyone convinced he was "dangling" the baby, that's just ridiculous.
There were only TWO lawsuits. The first one he paid money to make it go away, not because he was guilty but because he wanted it to do just that "go away" so he could go on with his life. If your child was molested and if it was true there is no way in the world a "parent" would accept money and not want to see justice done. It was about money. PERIOD. The second one, he may have felt like "this time I'm going to stand up for myself" and he did and was found NOT GUILTY.
As for the animals...he loved them. People sleep with their pets, kiss their pets on the mouth, so what he had pets roaming freely. Is that a crime? Or is it one only because it's Michael Jackson.
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By: Candice on 7/08/2009 8:23PM
I completely agree with you Angel. It makes me so upset to see people still bad mouthing Michael. I heard a few days after his death that the second boy who accused him actually came out and said that he lied because his father wanted the money. I believe that if the truth had come out sooner. Michael would still be here. I love seeing all of the love and support everyone is giving. It kind of seems like it has united a lot of people.
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By: Anita on 7/08/2009 9:36PM
I'M LOVING THIS COMMENT. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING HERE. HATERS REALLY NEED TO GET A LIFE. OH, I FORGOT---THEY HAVE NONE.
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By: cassi b on 7/08/2009 10:17PM
I agree with you angel, 100%! He was just showing everyone his baby. What's the big deal. It angers me that everything he did in the public, the media always found a way to make a negative comment about it.His brother said the same thing that I said. Maybe now they will all just "LEAVE HIM ALONE".
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By: NekeyaB27 on 7/09/2009 7:43AM
Thank you, thats what i was saying why would u allow someone to molest your child and get away with it , that just dont sound right , thats how i knew in my heart it didnt happen cause no one can pay me a darn thing. I mean thats just ridiculous, someone supposly molest you child and they pay u and yet and still they are still free, and your child heart is aching cause justice wont served, yea right i dont believe that. Someone just wanted his money cause they are mean and cold hearted, but God will deal with them. An to make is so bad he won the case after he payed all that money. But i totally agree with you. RIP michael , you was always and will always be innocent in my eyes, and im sorry you went to all that, and to make it so bad you had to sit in that courtroom and watch and listen to these evil ppl lie on you, i know that was so hard to do but because of the humble spirit you have you remain respectful and calm and peaceful cause i know you felt that God had your back. But i love u and i pray that God deals with them in his own way cause God dont like ugly.
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By: Lisa on 7/09/2009 7:41AM
I am another one who didn't think Michael Jackson meant any harm by holding his baby outside of the window. I thought he was just caught up in the moment and was trying to please his fans and it just back fired on him. I felt so bad for him. Being a mother of two, I could tell by the way he was holding the baby, he wan never in danger of dropping the child.
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By: MRS.LOVETT on 7/09/2009 2:09AM
U R SO SO RIGHT AT LEAST SOME PEOPLE HAVE ENOUGH SENSE TO GET IT AND I AM A MOTHER OF THREE HE WAS A LOVING PERSON THAT WAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF WAY TO MANY TIMES IN HIS LIFE ALL HE WANTED WAS WORLD PEACE WITH NO COLOR LINES I HAVE OLD PHOTOS OF HIM AGES 7 AND IN HIS TEENS HE ALWAYS WORE A PEACE RING AND HE EVEN HAD PEACE SIGNS ON HIS SWIMMING TRUNKS.ITS SAD WHAT PEOPLE WILL DO FOR MONEY
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By: Ignorant Comments are So Annoying on 7/07/2009 12:27PM
I totally agree with you, Angel. The media drove Michael Jackson into the ground with their false accusations. Everyone who knows him says how genuinely nice and compassionate he was. Many people love animals and love visiting the Zoo. He is just one of the only people rich enough to buy his own. I have a friend whose family owns a petting zoo on their land in which they live. They have animals running around all over the place and they own a monkey whom lives in the house and wears clothes. They are not weird people. The only difference is that they charge other people to get in. Michael wanted to help children whom couldn't afford those types of experiences.
Dreameagle, did you ever wonder why Macally Culkin, Emanuel Lewis, Cory Feildman and all of the other rich kids that he befriended never accused him of molestation? Only the poor kids whom he tried to help. Some people will do anything for money. Even if it means that they ruin someone else's life and the life of their children's; forcing them to lie on an innocent man. These people and the media are responsible for Michaels restlessness. That is why he was having trouble sleeping. Would you be able to emotionally handle being slandered and falsly accused on a regular basis all other the world wide television and internet? None of us would be able to handle it!!! By the way, I hear that one of the accusers is older now and is on UTube saying the his father made him say those things.
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