Michael Jackson’s most
successful sibling, Janet Jackson, finally said what most were already feeling:
she wants Dr. Conrad Murray to suffer the 
legal consequences for killing her
older brother.
After a prolonged period of silence, except for
appearances at awards tributes, Janet Jackson told ABC’s Robin Roberts that Murray’s suspected
criminal administration of powerful narcotics abruptly ended Michael Jackson’s
life in June at age 50. The full interview will air on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 10
p.m.
“He was the one that was administering [the
drugs]. I think he is responsible,” Janet said, adding that Murray’s license to practice medicine should
be permanently revoked.
Janet Jackson was inspired by Michael Jackson’s
musical ascendance to intergalactic territories and eventually accomplished the
rare feat of overcoming a sibling’s gigantic shadow to achieve superstar status
herself. She says she is still in a state of shock that the genius of the Jackson 5, who produced Off
the Wall, Thriller and Bad is no longer among the living.
“It’s been a tough year. You have your days where
it’s just really … it’s hard to believe,” a somber Janet said of Michael. Janet
and Michael were the closest siblings before Janet left their Encino, Calif., home hooked up
with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and launched her own legendary career. “A day
doesn’t go by that I don’t think about him.”
Although media reports have been sparse recently, Murray remains the focal
point of a manslaughter investigation for admittedly supplying Michael with a
toxic brew of prescription drugs that eventually incited cardiac arrest. He is
also accused of a cover-up in the aftermath of Jackson’s death.
Like most of Michael’s fans worldwide, Janet painfully
recalled where she was when she received that fateful call.
“I was at my house in New
York. You know, another day. Another morning. And I
get a call [that] said, ‘Your brother’s been taken to the hospital. It’s on CNN
right now.’ I called everyone. [The] line was busy or someone wasn’t picking
up. I spoke to mother. I spoke to Tito. I spoke to my nephew, Austin. I
spoke to my sister, LaToya. I remember thinking, ‘Nobody’s calling me back.’ So
I tried calling again, and that’s how I found out that he was no longer [alive]
… I couldn’t believe it,” she says.
–terry shropshire
Oprah and Gayle An Item?
There have been recent rumors about Oprah and Gayle being an
item. Gayle addressed the issue during the Glamour Women of the Year Awards
Nov. 9, stating, “The thing [is], if we were gay, we would tell you. We would
so tell you. We wouldn’t try to keep that a secret because there’s nothing
wrong with being gay. So if we were, we would tell you. The truth of the matter
is we’re not. It’s hard enough for me to get a date on a Saturday night as it
is.”
The rumor about the two being together has been circling for
years and has never gotten a response from either woman. It seems to be a huge
topic in the entertainment world. Question is would it matter if the rumors
were true? Oprah is a person, and aside from being a public figure, she is
entitled to have a personal life. I feel that as a community we put a lot of
emphasis on issues that aren’t important. Oprah has done so much for the
African American community to try to improve our well being. She has done
everything from buying cars for an entire studio audience, to building a school
to help girls in Africa, yet individuals are
focused on discrediting her good name. It seems as a community we tend to
attack the very people that serve as voices for us — and Oprah is the voice of
humanity with Gayle right by her side.
Supporting our African American leaders, as they work to
make things better for the community, would help to empower us as a whole. At
the end of the day whether Oprah and Gayle are together, is not relevant, and
most of the people talking about the issue are still tuning in every day to
watch her show and support her. Oprah is a woman who exudes power. She is a
billionaire who is friends with the president and his wife, and ultimately a great
person to have on your team. The name Oprah Winfrey when discussed in
conversations should be linked with respect. Let’s start distributing our
energy in more productive ways. –christian
johnson
