What did God say when Michael arrived?  DID he arrive? Was he consoled and embraced and ultimately released from all of his childhood pain or was he admonished for what many suspect but thankfully don't have confirmed? 

 

There is an inescapable question mark as to the ethics and balance of Michael Jackson that goes with him to his grave. It is most assuredly not what Michael had in mind when he set out to be pop music's "P.T. Barnum", the man in the middle of the circus.

 

Although, let's be real, anyone who reportedly invites a gossip tabloid to shoot him in a hyperbaric chamber courts the bizarre.

 

I was the last person to get Michael Jackson to go on camera. Technically, it was his last interview as I asked some questions and he answered them, but its not one I'd choose to hang my hat on.  Michael was alternately petrified and obsessed with my camera. He loved the small HD handheld 24P size camera and demanded to know where he could get one. But, before the cameras got rolling, while sitting in the small kitchen of his temporary Irish countryside cottage, Michael asked, "Is 5 minutes ok?"

Dave's apology last night was heartfelt and as soon as I read the transcript from the East Coast taping, I "Tweeted" that it felt sincere and more than adequate. But... as I watch it again I perceive something more in Dave: anxiety and urgency. This cannot go horribly wrong for Dave at THIS time.

It's been reported that one major advertiser, Embassy Suites Hotels, has distanced itself from "Late Show." That's a problem, but short-term. What is even potentially worse for Dave is damage to the way people perceive him at a time when he is trying to overtake "The Tonight Show" in the ratings.

Jay Leno beat him every night because of his mainstream monologue and overall jovial likeability. Dave is known to be more like Johnny Carson - funny but a little snarky and not so approachable, i.e. life of the party off camera, he is not.

Gov. Sarah Palin called Dave's joke about her daughter last week "sexually perverted." If people perceive Dave as perverted, he's dead. And it's been proven all too clearly, Palin has a base that is strong, conservative, outspoken and unafraid of standing up. If they rally and ultimately redefine Dave, it's lights out...or at least 2nd place yet again.


Your thoughts?

Billy@BillyBushshow.com

I want to go full humor right now, but I am aware that there is an underlying serious issue at hand and that some people are nervous about how contagious I am... me and my mono.

First off, my daughter had mono last month. I must have gotten it from her. I've never had it before so immunity to it was down. Mono stems from the Epstein-Barr Virus and people who have had mono, have an insignificant level of the EBV living in their bloodstream, like a vaccine.  

My doctor told me that about 80 to 85% of people get mono before the age of 30 - although not everyone gets it (like chicken pox). I am in that 15% who never did.  

Mono is transferred through saliva... kissing, sharing drinks and if you blast out a giant wet sneeze on someone, perhaps then too. Before finding out my 'feeling pretty crappy' was in fact mono, I had kissed my wife. She has had mono... she's doing pretty well right now.

I have been in contact (on phone) with the NBC Universal Medical Director as well as others in her department about the mono... they are fine with my doctor's advice. Go about your life, take it as slow as you can, don't make out with people, share drinks, or sneeze like a hephalump on folks. I can follow that.

The hardest part for me is my radio producer's last day is tomorrow. TV sweeps begins today. I'm needed, especially on radio where the show bears my name.  

One final amazing thing is this began with a Tweet. Hello new world.

For more information on mono, see www.mayoclinic.com/

She walked out on stage... she was wearing a frumpy frock, her hair wasn't done, she seemed out of place on stage competing against much younger wannabes on "Britain's Got Talent." After a goofy flirtation with Simon, we braced ourselves for what would feel like more ridicule. "I Dreamed A Dream"... I'll say. What a voice.

I watched with my kids online and cried for her. For all the times she was made fun of in life, the boys who teased her... I created multi-layered scenarios of how lonely and overlooked she has been in life and how this moment was ultimate vindication and emancipation.

This is classic 'never judge a book by it's cover' material. My kids, who are already kind and clique-free in school (thanks mostly to their awesome attentive mom) drank this moment in too.

It's everything you want to say to your children... and both are spared the lecture - just hit play.

At the end of the interview after I said thanks, there was a pause...then both Beyonce and I said it at the same time: "Happy Anniversary."

 

Sure enough, she & Jay-Z and me & Syd-B got married on April 4th -- they in '08, us in '98...sweet coincidence but it didn't move her to open the floodgates and gush about her marriage. She doesn't do it, neither does he. And I get it.

 

I did go there in a respectful and intelligent way.

 

Loosely: "You grew up well to do. Your father was a top salesman for Xerox, mom did well too and church was important.  Your husband grew up hustlin' in the streets of Bed-Stuy...how much of falling for the kid from the other side of the tracks involved you having to throw caution to the wind?"

I recently interviewed Bono and The Edge... nicest, most humble guys in rock 'n' roll.

 

Over 30 years together and not one rocker cliche applies -- nobody's ever quit, nobody's punched a photog (although it's documented Edge punched Bono right in the kisser!), no overdose...

 

Bono and Edge's two sons are close friends and are making music together on Garage Band... Bono said, "If we get this U2 thing right, we might have a franchise!" Must be tough for those boys to play their beats for their dads, where the toughest critics also love you more than any men alive.

Justin Long owes me an apology and Ellen owes Justin Long an apology. Neither needs to be a long apology. Ha ha!

 

Yesterday on "Ellen," Justin shared a story about being on the red carpet at the premiere of "The Break-Up" starring Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston, the film that brought them together as a couple.

 

Justin said that I had asked him about his worst break-up on the red carpet.

 

At that moment, his current breakup, unbeknownst to the public, was fresh... the day before. So he began to tell me. He said I was looking over his shoulder at Jennifer Aniston because she had just arrived - i.e. that I was blowing him off.

 

What kind of vacuous superficial guy would do that?

 

Apparently me!

 

Not so!

Yesterday I weighed in on the Brad and Angelina red carpet snub for Seacrest.

In short, if you're any good, "it happens." Ryan is and thus it can happen. Most red carpet mic holders are so safe and buttery that they make the whole "arrivals" thing fodder for haters.

But apparently it's Seacrest's turn in the barrel right now.

Tuesday night he high-fived a blind guy... Hey, it happens. Realizing it quickly, Ryan made up for it by telling the guy and taking his hand to complete the universal sign of approval. Scott McIntyre, the contestant, didn't care... Why should anyone else?