Michael Jackson album thriller is a flop; where are all the fans?

So many people ask me, "What’s wrong with Michael Jackson? How did he get into this terrible situation?" His beloved home, the 2,900-acre Neverland Ranch, is about to be auctioned off in public, with all his possessions in it, on March 19 outside the Santa Barbara County Courthouse.

And, no, this is one foreclosure the federal government is not going to bail out.

Not only that: after a big debut week for the 25th anniversary edition of "Thriller" with 166,000 copies sold. But in its second week, the updated "Thriller" dropped 65 percent and sold just 55,000 copies, according to hitsdailydouble.com.

The bigger question is: What happened to all those Michael Jackson fans? Where are the legions of devoted fanatics who write to me, who consider themselves Jackson’s best friends? Where are they?

The fact is, if Jackson can’t sell more than 200,000 copies of a special edition "Thriller" in two weeks, he’s not going to be selling so many concert tickets after all.

And that may be an essential part of the equation as Jackson’s lawyer, Peter Lopez, makes a last-ditch attempt to refinance the $24.5 million loan needed to keep Neverland. Jackson is already leveraged to the hilt. He has assets on paper, but he doesn’t work. He doesn’t tour, and he’s not releasing records. Why would anyone in this economy lend him any more money?

One of Jackson’s biggest problems is that he won’t return to remunerative work. I told you two weeks ago that he recently was offered a great gig: 10 shows minimum, 30 max, at $1 million apiece to perform the "Thriller" album at London’s Millennium Dome. It was a solid offer from AEG Live. But he wouldn’t do it.

He also wouldn’t appear at the Grammys. He also refused to pitch in on "Thriller" publicity — most of it was done by producer Quincy Jones. It seems no one has ever told Jackson the old adage that 99 percent of life is just about showing up.

Working isn’t always fun, but it can be done. Say what you will about Michael’s sister, Janet, but she keeps going, making money. She’s made three albums in four years, tours constantly and knows how to play the game. Unlike Michael, Janet understands that she’s not entitled to anything. She goes out and gets what she wants and needs. Maybe Michael should take a lesson from his little sister.

Still a little unclear is what’s left in the Neverland main house. Now that the foreclosure is in place, Jackson may not have access to a lot of his possessions. If the property is auctioned "as is," the new owner may find himself with a treasure trove of highly collectible artifacts.
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