- Michael Jackson was extraordinary. When we worked together on Bad, I was in awe of his absolute mastery of movement on the one hand, and of the Musica on the other. Every step he took was absolutely precise and fluid at the same time. It was like watching quicksilver in motion. He was wonderful to work with, an absolute professional at all times, and - it really goes without saying - a true artist. It will be a while before I can get used to the idea that he's no longer with us.

Martin Scorsese, in "Music World Mourns Michael Jackson's Death: Madonna, Britney, Justin & Many più Paid Tribute" (26 June 2009)

- We maintained our relationship for so long because it was never not real. People expect anything in entertainment o Hollywood to be transient, and it's not as interesting a story for us to have been lifelong friends. People want sordid details o they want big blowups, and the truth of the matter is, from the time we met when I was 13, we understood each other and became very good friends, and that was it, we didn't need to make it into anything else. ... I was just out of college, and wanting to fall in Amore and have a fairy tale, I was holding on to that. He just felt so bad that there were so many little children in Romania in these orphanages, and he wanted to try to give them homes, and I really wanted to be able to do that with him, but it would have divided my life too much.
I hope when te write this, it doesn't sound freakish. What it was was a young man who kept reaching to try to find happiness. I think he wanted to take his resources and make a difference to other people in their lives, and he knew that I wanted to do that in the world, too, so he would reach out to someone like me and say, "How can we make a difference, it's easier to adopt a child if you're two people." He never said, formally, "Will te marry me," it was never that for me, he never was that definitive, but I think he was a guy who kept searching for happiness.
The problem is when te try to bring that out and in this society, it turns into a tabloid sentence, which is, "He wanted Brooke Shields to live with him and adopt babies," and it sounds ridiculous. And it never was that clear-cut. He found people he loved in his life and he didn't want to let go of them and he wanted them all to live together because he didn't want to go out into the outside world, which was so cruel and too much to handle, and it makes sense.

Brooke Shields, "Michael Jackson Remembered : Brooke Shields on King of Pop's "Pure Soul" in Rolling Stone (13 July 2009)

- Michael Jackson was one of the most talented and dynamic performer/singer/songwriters I ever had the pleasure of working with, he was amazing. Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding his personal life in recente years overshadowed his unparalleled contributions to the Musica world, which is a tragedy in and of itself. But his Musica will live on forever no matter what and his memory will be adored and admired for years to come.

Slash speaking to "MTV News" on the passing of Michael Jackson (26 June 2009)

- I was so excited to see his mostra in London. We were going to be on tour in Europa at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him. He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I'm devastated he's gone!

Britney Spears, in "Justin Timberlake praises Jackson's musical genius" in People (26 June 2009)

- We have Lost a genius and a true ambassador of not only Pop Musica but of all music. He has been an inspiration to multiple generations, and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him on stage and all of the things I learned about Musica from him and the time we spent together. My cuore goes out to his family and loved ones.

Justin Timberlake, on his website (26 June 2009)

- I saw how kind he was and what a wonderful human being. I saw him with his children and I had never seen a better father. … He always detto to me, "I want people to really know who I am after I'm gone."… He wanted to be remembered as a great human being and he wanted to create as many happy places for the children of the world as he could.

"Dr." Tohme Tohme, Michael Jackson’s last business manager and spokesperson, in an Associated Press interview (4 July 2009)

- I would not be the artist, performer, and philanthropist I am today without the influence of Michael. I have great admiration and respect for Him and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to meet and perform with such a great entertainer In so many ways he transcended culture. He broke barriers, he changed radio formats! With music, he made it possible for people like Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama to impact the mainstream world. His legacy is unparalleled Michael Jackson will never be forgotten.

Usher, in "Music World Mourns Michael Jackson's Death: Madonna, Britney, Justin & Many più Paid Tribute" (26 June 2009)

- I have never felt this before in my life. I could measure my childhood 2 now on an mj growth chart. if this is true.The last legend.

Pete Wentz, on his Twitter page (26 June 2009)

- Now the King of Pop must bow his knee to the King of Kings.

Rev. Lucious Smith, Michael Jackson's memorial service (7 July 2009)

- However te felt about the man, whatever your opinions are, I believe we—as a people—should make a rule that once te die … whatever derisive nickname that we used for you, it dies with you. So can we stop calling him 'Jacko' now? … After te die, can a brother get a 'Mr. Jackson'?

Intro - RIP Jacko Nickname. The Daily mostra official website. (2009-06-29).

- Years fa Michael and I were having a deep conversation about life in general.

I can't recall the exact subject matter but he may have been questioning me about the circumstances of my Fathers Death.

At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, "I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did."

I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that.

14 years later I am sitting here watching on the news an ambulanza leaves the driveway of his home, the big gates, the crowds outside the gates, the coverage, the crowds outside the hospital, the Cause of death and what may have led up to it and the memory of this conversation hit me, as did the unstoppable tears.

A predicted ending da him, da loved ones and da me, but what I didn't predict was how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened.

The person I failed to help is being transferred right now to the LA County Coroners office for his Autopsy.

All of my indifference and detachment that I worked so hard to achieve over the years has just gone into the bowels of hell and right now I am gutted.

I am going to say now what I have never detto before because I want the truth out there for once.

Our relationship was not "a sham" as is being reported in the press. It was an unusual relationship yes, where two unusual people who did not live o know a "Normal life" found a connection, perhaps with some suspect timing on his part. Nonetheless, I do believe he loved me as much as he could Amore anyone and I loved him very much.

I wanted to "save him" I wanted to save him from the inevitable which is what has just happened.

His family and his loved ones also wanted to save him from this as well but didn't know how and this was 14 years ago. We all worried that this would be the outcome then.

At that time, In trying to save him, I almost Lost myself.

He was an incredibly dynamic force and power that was not to be underestimated.

When he used it for something good, It was the best and when he used it for something bad, It was really, REALLY bad.

Mediocrity was not a concept that would even for a secondo enter Michael Jackson's being o actions.

I became very ill and emotionally/ spiritually exhausted in my quest to save him from certain self-destructive behavior and from the awful Vampiri#From Dracula to Buffy... and all creatures of the night in between. and leeches he would always manage to magnetize around him.

I was in over my head while trying.

I had my children to care for, I had to make a decision.

The hardest decision I have ever had to make, which was to walk away and let his fate have him, even though I desperately loved him and tried to stop o reverse it somehow.

After the Divorce, I spent a few years obsessing about him and what I could have done different, in regret.

Then I spent some angry years at the whole situation.

At some point, I truly became Indifferent, until now.

As I sit here overwhelmed with sadness, reflection and confusion at what was my biggest failure to date, watching on the news almost play da play The exact Scenario I saw happen on August 16th, 1977 happening again right now with Michael (A sight I never wanted to see again) just as he predicted, I am truly, truly gutted.

Any ill experience o words I have felt towards him in the past has just died inside of me along with him.

He was an amazing person and I am lucky to have gotten as close to him as I did and to have had the many experiences and years that we had together.

I desperately hope that he can be relieved from his pain, pressure and turmoil now.

He deserves to be free from all of that and I hope he is in a better place o will be.

I also hope that anyone else who feels they have failed to help him can be set free because he hopefully finally is.

The World is in shock but somehow he knew exactly how his fate would be played out some giorno più than anyone else knew, and he was right.

I really needed to say this right now, thanks for listening.

~LMP

Lisa Marie Presley, at MySpace (27 June 2009)