Reports are coming out that OK Magazine paid $500,000 for the photos of Michael Jackson that will appear in the magazine’s upcoming issue. That’s some pretty serious instant cash for the photographer who took them.

The OK Magazine Michael Jackson cover also bears the bold caption “Michael’s Tragic Death: Why He Didn’t Have to Die.” The OK Magazine cover also promises a “complete tribute inside,” including “Michael Jackson World Exclusive: The Last Photos.”

OK cover controversy

The upcoming OK Magazine Michael Jackson cover has caught people’s attention for a couple of reasons. The cover photo itself is drawing outrage from fans who say it’s upsetting and offensive. The OK Magazine cover shows a photo of Michael Jackson hooked up to a breathing tube.

Because of conflicting reports surrounding Jackson’s actual time of death, some are speculating that Michael Jackson might, in fact, be already deceased in the photo. The Examiner reports the photo ”depicts Michael either in his last moments or after he had died.” The magazine says it is the last photo of him before he died.

Capitalizing on death?

Some publications have chosen to use old, famous photos of Michael Jackson for their covers.

Some fans are so upset about the cover photo that they have started a petition to  prevent publication of any more copies of the magazine. The creators of the petition argue that the aim of OK is not to pay tribute to Michael Jackson but instead “it’s pure business.”

Just as most of the other stories surrounding Michael Jackson’s death,  people have plenty to say about the OK Magazine Michael Jackson cover. The petitioners say that the photos violate Michael Jackson’s right to privacy. However, OK’s editorial director has released this statement about the cover:

“It’s a photo that captures the surprise and the upset and the moment of this breaking news story . . . I hope the cover will provoke readers. It celebrated the man, but it also does expose that he was an eccentric character who lived a very controversial life.”

Eccentric and controversial indeed

Speaking of trying to capitalize on Michael Jackson’s death, the OK Magazine Michael Jackson cover is far from the only entity that can be accused of that. Today, a woman who says her name is Nona Paris Lola Ankhesenamun Jackson filed a civil petition claiming she is Michael Jackson’s “secret wife.”

Nona Paris Lola Ankhesenamun Jackson is demanding that all of Jackson’s property be transferred to her ownership. She also claims that she is the biological mother of all three of Michael Jackson’s children. She is asking for full custody of the children and claims Debbie Rowe is an impostor.

A spotlight stealer?

Michael Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, has also been accused of trying to get into the spotlight and promote his record company using Michael’s death. This accusation could be chalked up to just media hype.

However, I feel compelled to point out that already, regardless of how many issues the OK Magazine Michael Jackson cover sells, some photographer out there is already $500,000 richer because of photographs of Jackson dying. I find it interesting that everyone is going after the publication that made the photos public and not the person who snapped the photos.

I understand it from the photographer’s standpoint, and I certainly understand wanting to catch real life as it happens without censoring it. I just wonder why everyone’s going after the magazine and no one has mentioned the person who got $500,000 for the photos.