Jacko's Web Site

I get the same feeling. I also don't think it's rushed or such, and in fact think it's rather well-designed. It's simple, clean and has the grid-Helvetica style going for it.

Somebody did indeed know what they were doing.

Interesting bit of design. I tend to agree with you.

Also interesting is their statement about trying the case in a courtroom and not in the public media, when it is rather obvious they have no choice in that regard. Obviously it is already in the public media (whether the facts are legitimate or not make no difference). Their strategy surely includes dealing with the media - so it will be interesting to see how they present themselves.

Shame what the media can do to a person's life nowadays. Kinda sick, actually. Someone's pain and scrutiny becomes our entertainment...

The site looks nice but why all the inline styles, tables and line breaks? It's the sort of site that's easily knocked up in good html and css. Weird.

I don't know, it looks like something the King of Pop could have easily whipped up on the plane ride back to California.

Guy; I hardly think that Michael Jackon's thoughts right now rely on compliancy of his site according to W3C specifications, if you think so.. you really need to grow up.

Jackson certainly didn't do the web site, he's not Asia Carrera :)

It looks nice, coded old-way. Very on-track for its purpose.

Not to pull this off-topic, but wow, I had no idea Asia was so smart.

I like the MJ website, the writing definitely sounds like stuff that he would say... intelligent, but still grounded in a juvinile type of way.

This reminds me of the site Martha Stewart launched soon after her legal battle began: Martha Talk's. Though Martha's site is done with a bit more color, it is still very clean and minimal. I was also reminded of this site because it also pleas to friends and supporters and uses the signature element in the exact same way.

Either you have a lot of time on your hands, or else you're brilliant.

Maybe both?

Very observant - after reading your entry I find myself agreeing with you.

It's one of two things.

1.Brilliance.

2.Bullshit.

Brilliant, astute, spot on.

Chris,

I apologise. I really must grow up. Sorry for being so immature.

Guy; you sound like a bigger moron than you already are by posting sarcastic comments.

Chris, chillout mate. No hard feelings, eh? I touched a nerve and I'm sorry. Looks like MJ will be getting off the hook anyway so good news if you're a fan. :-)

For those of you outside of the UK who may not have seen Louis Theroux's documentary on 'Michael Jackson', there is a discussion on the BBC news site that is quite interesting. Louis was unable to meet Michael himself as he'd granted exclusivity to Martin Bashir in an interview that he would later come to regret. Maybe Louis would have given a more rounded picture of the troubled star, who knows. What is quite interesting is the fact that he gained access to Michael's father, Joe and was able to determine that the man absolutely couldn't stand 'gays'. Joe went crazy at the thought that there could be a possibility that his son was gay.

Anyway, regarding the site, I think that Michael Jackson is a clever man but he also has a very clever bunch of people around him who are well versed in the intricacies of marketing and the like. The site wouldn't have been put together by the man himself and it is doubtful that he gave the brief to the extent of what emerged as a slick press room page. He would, however, have had some say, as an artist, in the minimal feel and content of the site. Todd, I think you are right that he wouldn't have wanted his picture on the site and it has become synonymous with bad, weird and wacky stories via the media who persist in using 'Jacko' as a figure of fun. No doubt he or his people are aware of the negative connotations and indeed felt that a stripped down - let the words do the talking - approach would be best.

Who's to know if MJ is innocent of what he's accused. Despite media intrusion and the inevitable lies for sales that come with it, the man has the right to a fair trial.

Here in the UK Michael Jackson's no.1's album is at number one in the chart. So whatever happens, his music still gets the respect it deserves.

Yeah Guy, you must grow up. Especially before you meet Michael Jackson... Mwuhahahahaha!

oh my lord I.G. you just cracked me up so hard. very funny.

Do yourselves a favor and stop reading so much into it in order to satisfy your "I find design in everything" tendency.

It's a simple, stupid bunch of text on a white background that probably Jackson himself could have figured out how to do with a FrontPage template or tutoria (Doubtful, though, I know...).
It wasn't designed by Jakob Nielsen. It wasn't designed by marketing directors, or creative directors. It wasn't handed off to designers to labor over and tweak margins and frames and such.

For your own sake, stop over-analyzing an average and simple, straight-forward set of web pages as if it's a new release of 2Advanced.

Zoltron, you needed to get that off your chest didn't you? What exactly did you gain by saying that? What use were your comments to anybody? I suppose you think you're pretty cool?

You're a prety negative kinda fellow:

"stop reading", "simple, stupid bunch of text", "It wasn’t", "stop over-analyzing", "average and simple, straight-forward".

Analysing stuff is cool.

I am not the type to analyze too much either, but I have to agree with Todd on this one. It's silly to think that the site just fell into place. Of course someone put some thought into how the information should be presented, and whether you want to call it "design" or "aesthetic" or "marketing," decisions were made about the most suitable approach.

Even the choice of a .us domain is significant. The site represents itself as American, not as some "commercial" .com venture. It does seem ironic for Jackson to insist that he seeks justice "in the courtroom, not in the public"--we're not jurors; presenting these documents online is undeniably a play for public opinion.

Jacko?
What do you mean by Jacko Todd?
Why not some respect for the guy?

Further: nice peace about Jackson's site...

peace = piece off course :)

This being the net, it was invitable that MJ supporters would turn up. There can be no denying that Wacko Jacko is a well deserved name for the man. He truly is wacko. No new statement on his site today despite the fact that he's getting charged.

michael jackson is my idol and i think he doesnt deserve to be charged he is just making little kids have a better child hood then he did and who ever slagg him off has to think would he actually be stupid enough to molester a young kid when he knows someone would find out because he is so famous the famillies just want money. jacko is the BEST

I have also followed the King of Pop's career for many years. Whether he's guilty or innocent, this is truly a sad turn of events. If he's innocent, then it's just another case of the media press-titutes behaving like the scum-and-scandal-ridden vermin they are. And if he's guilty, then my faith in him will be permanently shattered.

Having said that, I have to agree that some thought had to have gone into the format on this page. It's simple and straightforward for a reason, and not just because someone could have made it during their lunchbreak or something like that. In my opinion, Mike is trying for a look of sincerity and purity, as others here have suggested.

Whoops! I just read the webmaster's appeal to stop referring to MJ as "The King Of Pop." So I'll refrain from doing that here. IMHO, that title belongs to the late great Austrian pop-rocker Falco, in any case. :)

Who cares how they organize or build jacko's web site (blah, blah, blah)? If MJ molested a child no one will care what his site looked like. He will be in jail and if in the general population he will probably be killed. To hell with wackoff jacko, money won’t set him free. MJ can try to change the subject all he wants the bottom line is DID HE ABUSE THE CHILD NOT ANYTHING ELSE.