Animal Rights Protest

Animal rights campaigners have called on Michael Jackson not to use live elephants and tigers during his comeback performances at the O2 Arena in London this summer.

Craig Redmond, director of the Captive Animals Protection Society, is quoted in the Telegraph:

"Exploiting animals in this way really is a thing of the past and not something that someone like Michael Jackson should be doing.

It would be like a circus act – a practice opposed by most people in the UK – and we are appealing to him and his management not to spoil the show by using animals."

I don't think the animal rights lobby should worry too much, I suspect that the cost of obtaining and insuring the animals far outweighs the additional revenue streams that they will generate (given that the tickets are now all sold anyway).

A cynic might argue that the complaints raised by the campaigners are in fact adding to the hype of the tour.

As I have already noted, Jackson's PR people are very professional and know what they are doing.

The Hype Continues

The tabloids report that Michael Jackson wants to ride an elephant onto the stage at each of his 50 concerts at the O2 Arena. He also wants a panther, snakes, tropical birds and three monkeys for the set that will have a jungle, circus and weather theme.

For good measure he wants to employ 100 Masai warriors as well.

Why not?

Given Britain's animal welfare laws, and the cost of obtaining/looking after the animals, I cannot quite see this plan coming to fruition.

Emulating George I

Emulating George I's progress by barge along the Thames, Michael Jackson will be taken to his 50 shows at the O2 Arena by boat; having told organisers that he is scared of helicopters and of being stuck in traffic.