the buzz log
The Web Mourns the King of Pop's Passing
Even in our real-time world, people barely had time to register the news that Michael Jackson had been rushed to UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles before doctors called the King of Pop's death at 2:26 p.m. Within hours, searches on Yahoo! transitioned from "breaking news michael jackson" to "is michael jackson dead" to "r.i.p. michael jackson."
Generation X was still mourning Farrah Fawcett, and the two became the most searched people on the Web—even at times linked ("michael jackson farrah fawcett"). But 50-year-old Jackson spanned multiple decades, and his death may be the most searched in recent memory.
One of the most telling queries that people looked up, however, may have been "elvis died." Elvis Presley died at age 42, bloated, sick, addicted to prescription drugs. Even if Jackson hadn't married Lisa Marie in the '90s, he had already inherited Elvis Presley's throne. Now, he has passed away in the same way as the icon before him—too shocking, too soon.
The obituaries and eulogies didn't take long for Jackson, not for a man who led a supersized life. Below, a snapshot of the Search stream, as people followed a king's passing.
His Death
- Jackson rushed to hospital, michael jackson in ambulance, tmz michael jackson, michael jackson on twitter, michael jackson 911 call, coma, cardiac arrest, cardiac arrest heart attack, condition of michael jackson, live michael jackson coverage, did michael jackson die, has michael jackson died, ap michael jackson dead, age of michael jackson, demerol, king of pop dies, michael jackson 1958-2009, michael jackson alive, michael jackson autopsy
His Family, Friends, Mistaken Ties
- Jackson 5, Janet Jackson, Prince Jackson, Janet Jackson Jermaine Dupri, Joe Jackson Michael, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Samuel L. Jackson, Randy Jackson, Lisa Marie Presley, Priscilla Presley, Elvis Presley Biography
His Peculiarities and Places
- Plastic surgery, wacko jacko, Bubbles, Jackson fire, glove, Holmby Hills Mansion, Neverland Ranch, oxygen chamber, Bahrain.
His Life and Legacy
- Jacko, "Bad," "Billy Jean," "Thriller," "Dangerous," dance moves, moonwalking, comeback tour,Facts, michael jackson fan club, greatest hits, record sales, pop star, pop giant, tributes to michael jackson.
Filed under: Music, Celebrities, Death, Michael Jackson
Fawcett: A Generation's Poster Girl
Farrah Fawcett's swimsuit poster is one of the most iconic images of '70s pop culture. Perhaps the decade's equivalent to Marilyn Monroe's classic subway photo, Fawcett's supersized image sold a reported 12 million copies (a record that still stands) and launched the celebrity poster industry.
Fawcett, who died Thursday of cancer, had something rare: The late actress had created and owned her own lucrative image. She even filed a lawsuit to protect her claim earlier this year. All of that exemplifies the Fawcett paradox that troubled some feminists and inspired a new generation of girls. She flaunted a carefree, accessible sexuality and reaped the rewards herself without feeling compromised or commoditized.
Fawcett later carried that confident allure to “Charlie's Angels.” Following in a lineage that included Diana Rigg in "The Avengers," Anne Francis in "Honey West" and Angie Dickinson in "Police Woman," she and her Angel cohorts spawned the much maligned era of "jiggle TV," but continued to redefine women's roles by taking them out of the domestic sphere and into the workplace.
Fawcett only took 25 shots to reach poster perfection, but photographer Bruce McBroom took 400 photographs during that 1976 photo shoot. For a glimpse on those other shots, see this Access Hollywood interview and listen to McBroom's rundown on her "unerring sense for how she looked good."
Filed under: Celebrities, Dead Celebrities
David Carradine's Most Memorable Character
As people look for the reason behind David Carradine's death by hanging, his ending is at odds with iconic TV image he created as Kwai Chang Caine in the 1972 series, "Kung Fu."
Whether he shunted aside Bruce Lee for the role as the biracial Shaolin monk wandering late 19th-century America is subject to debate. (According to his widow's biography, Lee had pitched the concept. The TV producers said it was a different pitch to tap into the hugely popular underground indies and Hong Kong martial arts movies.)
Regardless, Carradine got the role, and he became identified with Caine his entire career. The peacenik character, in search of a long-lost brother, was different than the '70s big-screen action heroes, quick to shoot punks and not prone to introspection.
Carradine's monk basically revamped the old cinematic Western frontier hero with modern touches: His "half-breed" (half Chinese, half white) background touched on the race issues, his Buddhism hit the Eastern spiritual craze, and the kung fu was downright exotic... although he didn't use his deadly skills unless he absolutely had to, which was pretty much every episode.
The show only lasted three years on ABC, but introduced a television audience to a new religion, fighting system, Chinese culture, and classic TV moments. Cue the intro: Young Caine has to walk on rice paper, and when Grasshopper (as his master Po called him) showed he could walk without leaving an imprint, he was ready to face the world.
As to why Grasshopper, the nickname came when his blind master asked what Caine could hear with his eyes closed. Courtesy of Wikipedia:
Master Po: Do you hear the grasshopper?
Caine: Old man, who is it that you hear these things?
Po: Young man, how is it that you do not?
Filed under: TV, Celebrities, Martial Arts, Death
May 2009 Buzz and June Forecast
Despite automakers hurtling towards bankruptcy court and unemployment lines breaking quarter-century records, a strange unfamiliar air of optimism wafted in as economists spoke of an end to the recession, swine flu proved less deadly, and even the Hubble Telescope got a tune-up. In lighter news, runner-ups became front-page news (but winners still count on the sports pages). Here now the buzz that was, May 2009 edition, followed by a June buzz forecast:
On the Docket This Month
Given Guantanamo's legal complications, President Barack Obama's pick for Supreme Court justice pick must've been a walk in the park. Sonia Sotomayor, a George H.W. Bush's appellate-judge appointee, was the only person on Obama's short list that he "didn't know personally," but their legal minds turned out to be in accord. More reluctant candidates for the court system were automakers Chrysler and GM, and their bankrupcty woes have rippled to dealerships across North America. Meanwhile, California's Proposition 8 proponents prevailed in the state's Superior Court, but the same-sex marriage issue is making strange legal bedfellows: The opposing lawyers in Bush v. Gore have filed a federal lawsuit arguing same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional.
The Race for Second Place
Double trouble, Susan Boyle bubbled in a meltdown over mean reporters. Human reaction aside, her Cinderella tale set the world abuzz, and her runner-up status on "Britain's Most Talented" put her in "contrarian" company with odds-on favorite Adam Lambert on "American Idol." Their drama though couldn't quite compare to Miss California Carrie Prejean and her soapy drama involving missing tops in lingerie photos, pageant master Donald Trump's forgiveness, and past pageant contestants expressing outrage (resigning Miss California pageant director Shanna Moakler) and support (Alaska governor Sarah Palin). The only time winning counted was the ring with Manny Pacquiao, at the races with Kentucky Derby's longshot Mine That Bird and the Preakness's first-time filly winner (in 85 years) Rachel Alexandra, and in "Jon & Kate Plus 8" ratings thanks to dysfunction gone tabloid.
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Fastest Moving Search Terms (biggest percentage changes compared to April)
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Most Searched Terms
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Will Gay Pride Month may get marriage-minded (June 1-30)... Conan gets to sleep earlier (1)... Not just another graduation speech for Barack Obama (4) ... The Belmont Stakes are high (6)... Salute the flag (14) ... Expect energetic conversation at the EU Summit (18-19) ... Leave the ties at the store for Poppa (25)... Dubious honors for ugly canine mugs (26).
Filed under: Reality TV, American Idol, Politics, Supreme Court, Celebrities, Monthly Wrapup, Recaps, Horse Racing, Gay Marriage, Wrap Up
April Buzz and a May Forecast
...March's mass shootings didn't let up in April. The Binghamton spree, a Pittsburgh police ambush, and domestic killings in Washington seemed to be violent eruptions of these hard times.
...The last thing America expected was piracy, but Navy SEALs ended a hostage stand-off with three bullets to the heads of the Somali pirates holding an American captain.
...Between recovery acts and trillion-dollar budgets, most Americans paid their dues to Uncle Sam, but some took April 15 off to protest taxes in tea party-style protests.
...'70s icon Farrah Fawcett and late-night host Jay Leno's hospital stays were short, but theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and former defensive lineman William "Refrigerator" Perry are still recovering from their illnesses.
...His TV character's death meant a White House opportunity for Kal Penn, but mourners saluted the true passing of trailblazer Beatrice Arthur.
..."Waterboarding" remained the most searched interrogation technique listed in the newly released CIA memos. The memos' uproar ceases for the moment with the swine flu mystery.
...President Obama didn't quite want to come to the party, but the media corps threw one anyway for his 100 and he came out in full address mode. His gifts (no not Bo...the dog was for the kids and the nation): budget approval and Arlen Specter popping out of a donkey-shaped cake. (See what the Web thought of Obama since the inauguration, and here for more April politics.).
...A Cinderella story rises up from a British reality show, and one 47-year-old Susan Boyle mesmerizes the Web...watch again.
April 2009 Fastest Movers in Search
Search Terms on Yahoo! with the Biggest Percentage Changes
- Swine Flu (off the charts)
- Susan Boyle (off the charts)
- Victoria Osteen (+102,070%)
- Julie Chen (+80,819%)
- Somali Pirates (+52,250%)
- Kyle Maynard (+37,394%)
- Beatrice Arthur (+34,481%)
- Amanda Holden (+33,446%)
- Kal Penn (+29,6354%)
- Anal Cancer (+27,615%)
Now, for what lies ahead... May Buzz Forecast, guaranteed to stir some searches ...
A mutant kicks off the blockbuster season (May 1-28)... Ah, the smell of horse flesh mixed with mint julep in Kentucky (2)... Flu masks on Cinco De Mayo don't quite lend the festive spirit (5) ... Mother's Day brunch, anyone? (10)... Cannes do spirit (13-24) ... A new "Idol" chosen (19-20) ... Forget the bad traffic and honor the dead on Memorial Day (25)... Farewell, Jay, and here comes Conan (29).
Filed under: TV, Reality TV, Politics, Celebrities, Monthly Wrapup, Taxes, Pirates, Crime, Wrap Up
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford 400 | Breakout! |
| 2 | Indonesia Ferry | Breakout! |
| 3 | Jordan Chandler | 3481% |
| 4 | Evan Chandler | 2322% |
| 5 | American Music Awards | 1841% |
| 6 | John F. Kennedy | 1529% |
| 7 | Turkey Stuffing Recipes | 1361% |
| 8 | Liam Hemsworth | 1172% |
| 9 | Lou Dobbs | 1142% |
| 10 | Hendrick Motorsports | 888% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Friday | +340 | 1290 |
| 2 | NFL | +489 | 670 |
| 3 | Jennifer Lopez | +451 | 515 |
| 4 | New Moon | -67 | 250 |
| 5 | American Music Awards | +236 | 249 |
| 6 | UFC | -36 | 239 |
| 7 | Miley Cyrus | +66 | 169 |
| 8 | Hulu | -11 | 154 |
what's the buzz?
A subject's buzz score is the percentage of Yahoo! users searching for that subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Weekly leaders are the subjects with the greatest average buzz score for a given week.
For more detailed information, visit our FAQ.