the buzz log

Michael Jackson's memorial was anything but subtle. Anyone who watched the touching yet bizarre event is bound to have a lot of questions. Among the most popular queries currently in Search: Was MJ's golden casket really, well, made of gold?

The answer: Sort of. A company named Batesville constructed the casket. According to Casket Site.com, the casket is "solid 48 oz. bronze with 14k gold hardware." Batesville made a similar casket for James Brown back in 2007, and has also constructed caskets for Wilt Chamberlain and Bob Hope. Perhaps that's why Batesville, Indiana, is also known as "Casketville, USA."

The level of interest in Michael's particular casket, the "Promethean" model, is tremendous. Since yesterday, queries on "gold casket," "michael jackson's casket," and "how much did michael jackson's casket cost" have all hit high notes. Oh, and about that cost...according to WTHR.com, the velvet-lined vessel sells for around $25,000. Even in death, the King of Pop was an extravagant guy.

Interestingly, while we know a lot about the casket, Mr. Jackson's final resting place remains something of a mystery. E! Online speculates that because the Jackson estate filed for a burial permit in Los Angeles and not Santa Barbara, home of MJ's Neverland Ranch, the odds of his being buried on his property are slim.

One thing is for sure—wherever Michael's final resting place may be, his golden casket will likely inspire many visitors. We're guessing security will be tight.   

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Filed under: Michael Jackson

People search the Web to find answers. And yesterday, when Michael Jackson died, people across the country and around the world had a lot of questions. Below is a summary of some of the most popular lookups surrounding the untimely death of the King of Pop...

1. Who dubbed Jackson the "King of Pop"?: Searches on Jackson's famous nickname surged an astounding 3,645% yesterday. Related searches on who came up with the phrase were also extremely popular. While most believe that Jackson anointed himself "The King of Pop," according to sources on the Web, Elizabeth Taylor actually coined the phrase at a 1989 awards gala. Jackson is rumored to have insisted that MTV call him by his royal nickname.

2. When did Elvis die?: The sudden and tragic death of Jackson brought back memories of another king who died too soon. Queries on "death of elvis," "when did elvis die," and "how did elvis die" all surged into breakout status. For the record, Presley passed away on August 16, 1977. He was 42 when he died of an apparent drug overdose. Also surging in search: "When did John Lennon die." The Beatle was killed on December 8, 1980.

3. Heart attack vs. cardiac arrest: Reports that Jackson had died of cardiac arrest spurred incredible interest in the difference between that and a heart attack. A heart attack is when a portion of the heart muscle dies due to a blockage of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. Cardiac arrest is when the heart actually stops beating. This can be caused by several things including medications and can also follow a heart attack if too much of the heart muscle dies.

4. How to do the moonwalk?: Jackson's signature step surged 56,873% on Thursday. Reminded of Jackson's heyday, people looked up tips on how to perform the move. An article from WikiHow gives would-be Jackos a step-by-step set of instructions, but you may find viewing a video from the master much more informative (if a bit intimidating).

5. Order of Michael Jackson's albums: There was also an instant surge of lookups for MJ's discography. All told, he released 10 albums. They were, in order: Got to Be There; Ben; Music and Me; Forever, Michael; Off the Wall; Thriller; Bad; Dangerous; HIStory; and Invincible. Jackson's biggest seller was, of course, Thriller.

6. What is vitiligo?: Though many believed that Jackson bleached his skin, the star actually suffered from vitiligo, a skin disorder that leads to de-pigmentation. You can learn more about the effect it had on Jackson and his revealing 1993 interview with Oprah from this article from CNN.

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Filed under: Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson, the controversial King of Pop and one of the best-selling singers in the world, has died at the age of 50. Early reports claimed that Jackson was in a coma. As more details came to light, it was revealed that he had suffered cardiac arrest and died at a Los Angeles Hospital. Queries on the man, his music, his photos, his surgeries, and his home immediately soared. Stay tuned for more details.

Filed under: Michael Jackson