Madonna Opens VMA's, Pays Tribute to Michael Jackson

2nd Death After Madonna Stage Mishap
Copyright 2009 Max Nash / Getty Images
Madonna called Michael Jackson a "hero," a "king" and a "human being" as she paid tribute to the King of Pop at MTV's "2009 Video Music Awards," prior to Janet Jackson's anticipated performance.

"When I was six, my mother died. I think he got the shorter end of the sick," she says of the music legend. "I never had a mother but he never had a childhood."

Madonna said when she learned of Michael's death while preparing for her tour, she felt as if she had "abandoned him."

"I know his pain," she said, referring to the constant media attention the King of Pop received.

Madonna said his legacy lives on, starting with her two sons who are big fans of the late singer. "There's a whole lot of crotch grabbing and moon-walking in my house," Madonna joked.

She concluded her tribute saying, "He was a king, but he was also a human being. ... Long live the king."

Published 9/13/09 by the Insider

Comments (51)

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  • i think maddona was jealus and michael was the best man on earth!! ilove him!!
    Anonymous 9/26/09 Reply
  • michael the whole world loved you. we loved you than, we love you now and forever. you are in a batter place now, for your safe. have fun with the little angles. you will live in my heart forever. good bless you michael. leave him alone.
    Anonymous 9/26/09 Reply
  • yah, nobodys perfect, my mj is a human being but his the best for the best, i love him and i really missed him, i always listened his music everyday and nigh
    Anonymous 9/24/09 Reply
    • bravo MJ, me and your millions of fans are always with u, all your critics are really bad persons, whoever they are there such a loser, and you MJ is the winner
      Anonymous 9/24/09
    • I everyday watch insider because of MJ, then why you said bad to my idol, Insider your bad i hate you
      Anonymous 9/24/09
    • my MJ the king of pop, no one abandoned, we missed you vm, so whoever write of said bad for you received a carma, promise, whatever i say it happen
      Anonymous 9/24/09
    • my MJ the king of pop, no one abandoned, we missed you vm, so whoever write of said bad for you received a carma, promise, whatever i say it happen
      Anonymous 9/24/09
    • my MJ the king of pop, no one abandoned, we missed you vm, so whoever write of said bad for you received a carma, promise, whatever i say it happen
      Anonymous 9/24/09
  • Michael, we'll always love you.
    The world abandoned you but you never abandoned the world.
    Anonymous 9/23/09 Reply
  • that was awesome and i cried a lot long live the king michael jackson
    Anonymous 9/21/09 Reply
  • RIP MJ!!!
    http://www.screammary.com/news/vma´s-2009-tribute-to-michael-jackson
    Anonymous 9/20/09 Reply
  • a "hero," a "king" and a "human being"
    YasmeenA2 9/20/09 Reply
  • love love mj forever
    Anonymous 9/20/09 Reply
  • Rest in peace michael
    we'll never forget u...we'll never let u part and for you are always in our hearts
    and also I wanna thank Lisa marie for her wonderful blog which shared with us.
    for ever king...MICHAEL JACKSON
    Anonymous 9/17/09 Reply
  • Someone should go back and read Madonna's tribute (to herself) and could the number of times she said "I, me or my." I wouldn't be surprised if it was more times that she said "Michael" or "he or him".
    Anonymous 9/16/09 Reply
  • i feel like madonna is sincere of what she had said during the VMA. I love michael jackson forever. long live the King!!! Hey, i just read that Martin Ba has a tumor? KARMA, KARMA
    Anonymous 9/16/09 Reply
  • I'm so with Nick.y , why they hate Madonna :-( ??????
    she was speaking from the bottom of her heart .
    Anonymous 9/16/09 Reply
  • I love Madonna (everbody know that) , however talking from any fan point of view :

    " I felt sad how the insider treats Madonna and make her look so badly while she's doing great and the last one her amazing tribute to the king of all music , my...
    Nick.y 9/16/09 Reply
    • ... sweet heart MJ "

      hope they just get-over their envy and value their true hard-workers artists like : Madonna ..
      Nick.y 9/16/09
    • ... and others like :
      ( Cher, Christina Aguelira, "even" Britney Spears and others .... )

      it's so sad how people evaluate stuff after lossing them ? :-(
      Nick.y 9/16/09
  • Michael Jackson

    We all know MJ had a drug addition he admitted that back in 1993!!! So what’s new, he was on prescription drugs prescribed by doctors, not cocaine or heroin..

    I just want to say I Michael Jackson fan and proud . I am 48 years...
    Anonymous 9/15/09 Reply
    • Madona was great. Diane Diamond seems to be obsess wtih MJ ,she is always looking for negative things to focus on. We dont care we love mj he wasa good man not perfect but good unlike Diane who write sepeculations and state it as facts . I am...
      Anonymous 9/15/09
  • I totally disagree with last night's panel on this program especially the african-american chick. Madonna's speech was heartfelt and the comparison she made was merely her realization how much in common they had aside from their superstar status.
    Anonymous 9/15/09 Reply
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