Suffering Cardiac Arrest, King of Pop Michael Jackson Dies at 50

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CHICAGO – Michael Jackson, who is widely regarded as the king of pop music, is dead at the age of 50, the Los Angeles Times confirmed on Thursday.

The news comes on the same day as Farrah Fawcett’s death. She starred in TV’s “Charlie’s Angels” and died on Thursday of cancer at the age of 62.

While the news of Michael Jackson’s death – which was first discussed by celebrity gossip source TMZ – was percolating across the world, the reaction from many people everywhere was initial confusion.

While some thought he was just hospitalized, others believed he was pronounced dead following a cardiac arrest. After TMZ’s discussion, it was the Los Angeles Times that confirmed the death and set the record straight.

At the time of the confusion, most of the Chicago film critics were in downtown Chicago screening the new Michael Mann film “Public Enemies,” which was filmed in Chicago and stars Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Channing Tatum, Stephen Dorff, Billy Crudup and Giovanni Ribisi. “Public Enemies” opens on July 1, 2009.

The cell phone of yours truly lit up incessantly while in the “Public Enemies” screening with a play-by-play documentation from colleagues of news as it was being released. The Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday that paramedics found Michael Jackson in a coma at his Bel-Air mansion, according to city and law enforcement sources.

Michael Jackson was featured in the film “Men in Black II” in 2002 and was best known for his songs “Thriller,” “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” “Man in the Mirror,” “Smooth Criminal” and many more.

At this time, the Los Angeles Times reports that “the circumstances of Jackson’s death remain unclear. Law enforcement sources said that Los Angeles Police Department robbery-homicide detectives have opened an investigation into the death [and] stressed there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing. The detectives plan to interview relatives, friends and Jackson’s doctors to try to figure out what happened. The L.A. County coroner’s office will determine a cause of death.”

By ADAM FENDELMAN Editor-in-Chief HollywoodChicago.com adam@hollywoodchicago.com