Michael Jackson is world’s top dead earner

For a second straight year Michael Jackson is the world’s top dead earner, according to a macabre list compiled by Forbes magazine of stars whose earning power remains undiminished beyond the grave.

The King of Pop, who died two years ago at the age of 50, brought in $170 million for his estate over the past 12 months, enough to place him ahead of every other pop music act of the past year — both living and dead — except for Irish rock band U2.

Elvis came in second place, earning $55 million, thanks to his evergreen songbook and a hit Las Vegas stage production featuring his tunes mounted by Cirque de Soleil.

In third place was movie siren Marilyn Monroe, who had $27 million in earnings over the past year.

“Peanuts” cartoon creator Charles Schulz was fourth while Beatles’ legend John Lennon tied for fifth place with screen goddess Elizabeth Taylor, both earning $12 million.

While much of Lennon’s revenues came as payment from other musicians performing his music, Taylor’s largely came from her best-selling perfume White Diamonds. The fragrance had gross sales of $54 million in the United States in 2010, according to industry experts cited by Forbes.

Taylor’s estate also appears likely to net handsomely from a December sale later this year by the Christie’s auction house featuring the late actress’s jewels, art work and gowns. Experts said it could fetch $30 million.

Forbes, which compiled its list by consulting agents, lawyers and other experts, said the year’s 15 deceased top earners were:

1. Michael Jackson
2. Elvis Presley
3. Marilyn Monroe
4. “Peanuts” cartoon creator Charles Schulz
5. John Lennon, tied with Elizabeth Taylor
7. Theoretical physicist Albert Einstein
8. Children’s author Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel
9. Rock legend Jimi Hendrix; Swedish writer Stieg Larsson; Hollywood actor Steve McQueen; and legendary composer Richard Rodgers
13. Beatle George Harrison, tied with American pin-up girl Bettie Page and pop art creator Andy Warhol

Joe Jackson Admits To Whipping Michael Jackson

As we already know, Joe Jackson has proven once again how horrible he is/was as a father.

Michael Jackson’s parents have finally opened up about reports of capital punishment and “whippings” family patriarch Joe Jackson served up to prevent his nine kids from “going bad.”

Joe Jackson has often denied his most famous son’s allegations of beatings and whippings and he attempted to avoid the subject completely when Oprah Winfrey asked him to be honest about his punishment methods during a candid taped interview for her TV show.

But his wife Katherine insisted the world should know the truth, stating, “You might as well admit it; that’s the way black people raise their children… He (Joe) used a strap.”

Joe Jackson then admitted, “I would have punished by whipping them with a strap or something if they did something wrong.. It would have kept them outta trouble, outta jail. My kids have never been in jail before… and that’s great.”

Asked if he ever regretted his actions, Joe responded, “No, I don’t regret it.”

In a 1993 interview with Winfrey, Michael Jackson opened up about his father’s beatings, admitting he was terrified of his dad.

Michael Jackson One Year Later

Michael Jackson: A year after his death

Michael Jackson fans around the world began Friday marking the first anniversary of the music icon’s death, with events from candlelight vigils to slumber parties planned in honor of the tragic superstar.

Jackson, 50, died from a drug overdose at a rented Los Angeles mansion on June 25 last year, a seismic celebrity death that triggered a global outpouring of tributes for the eccentric genius known as “The King of Pop.”

In Hollywood, a wax likeness of Jackson has been placed on display in front of Madame Tussauds on Hollywood Boulevard, a short distance from Jackson’s star on the Walk of Fame.

In the only official memorial event planned Friday, family matriarch Katherine Jackson, 80, is slated to unveil a monument at the home where she raised her famous son and eight other children in Gary, Indiana.

Meanwhile, Billboard magazine reported Jackson’s estate has generated more than one billion dollars in revenues since the singer’s death, through the re-issue of his music, films and other commercial spin-offs.

Michael Jackson Wins Record-Breaking 23 American Music Awards

Artist of the Year Taylor Swift may have been the night’s big winner, but The King of Pop broke the record for the artist with the most American Music Awards ever at the ceremony in Los Angeles Sunday night. Michael Jackson posthumously won awards for both Favorite Pop/Rock artist and Favorite Male Soul/R&B artist at the 2009 AMA. The two awards brought Michael’s lifetime total to 23.

Rest in Peace Michael Jackson!

Janet Jackson Refuses To Watch “This Is It”

Janet Jackson has no plans to ever see her late brother Michael’s concert documentary movie This Is It – because it would be too painful for the grieving star to watch.

The film, which features video footage of the King of Pop rehearsing for his ill-fated London residency, has been a huge hit with fans and recently passed the $200 million mark at the global box office, just three weeks after its release.

Members of the Jackson family, including patriarch Joe, and Michael’s brothers Jermaine, Tito, Jackie and Marlon, all turned out for the Los Angeles premiere of This Is It last month – but Janet refuses to watch it. And she admits even walking past the promotional posters for the film gets her choked up with emotion.

In an ABC News exclusive, Janet says, “I have not seen it. I definitely won’t, not right now. I don’t know if I’d ever see it. (It’s) too soon, too hard. It’s hard when I see the posters around the city, the commercials, the trailers (on TV). It has (caught me off guard emotionally).”

The Thriller superstar died in June, shortly before he was due to kick off his mammoth tour.

Janet Jackson Blames Doctor For Michael’s Death

Janet Jackson blames Dr. Conrad Murray for her brother Michael’s death. She told ABC News in an interview to air Wednesday that Murray should no longer be allowed to practice medicine. “He was the one that was administering,” Jackson said. “I think he is responsible.”

Prosecutors in Los Angeles are weighing charges against Murray in the pop singer’s death. Murray told police he administered a powerful anesthetic to the singer shortly before Jackson died June 25.

A spokeswoman for the doctor, Miranda Sevcik, said Monday he continues to maintain he neither prescribed or administered anything to Jackson that should have killed him.

Jackson told ABC’s Robin Roberts that she was at her home in New York on June 25 when her assistant called to say Michael had been taken to the hospital. She told relatives to call her when they got to the hospital and grew concerned when she wasn’t getting any calls back.

She says that a day doesn’t go by when she doesn’t think of Michael. “It just didn’t ring true to me. It felt like a dream,” she said. “It’s still so difficult for me to believe.