OT - compare the career and lives of these 1960-70's child entertainers

one didn't diddle little boys

Michael was far more talented. But talent alone doesn’t cure drug addiction.

Jackson had a better career by far. But Donnie didn’t really do shite after the 70’s.

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Bonus: One of them married the elusive OT10.

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Who?

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Jackson had a better career by far. But Donnie didn’t really do shite after the 70’s.

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It's kind of interesting. He talks about struggling in the 1980's with his identity as a performer. He wasn't a teen hearthrob anymore, as that seemed to go away in the 80's.

He did have two hits in the late 80's, releasing the first one as "mystery singer" because of the stigma attached to him, only later revealing it was him.

And of course he performed in Vegas with Marie for years and now has his own show there.


I saw an interview with him not long ago, and he talked about how difficult it was growing up as a teenage star. Couldn't attend school, have regular friends. He married Debbie when he was 20, at the height of his popularity and says she saved his life.

Of course, a lot of the issues with Michael Jackson stemmed from the same issues, but it appears his struggles were worse, probably in large part to his father, and he spent his adulthood trying to recapture his childhood. Of course, this doesn't excuse the dark circumstances of his behavior with kids, but to me it's interesting how they both went through similar experiences, but handled them so differently.

A guy I worked for at a radio station years ago said he met Donnie and Marie at a corporate event, and Donnie was a complete arse.
Saw him recently on Dennis Miller's show, and he seemed very genial and thankful to have had such a long career.

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Saw him recently on Dennis Miller's show, and he seemed very genial and thankful to have had such a long career.

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He's 63. Been performing since he was 5, so 58 years. Just put out hit 65th album. It's actually got some good songs on it, you can find his youtube channel and listen to them. I read something that the album debuted last week at #27 on the album charts.

I've heard him say that he would not have chosen performing if it had been his choice, but he now embraces it and see's that it was what he was meant to do.

I mean, his life is pretty good. Married for 43 years, 5 children, 12 grand children. He makes some fun tic tok vidoes, and is building a water feature in his own back yard with a backhoe in his spare time.

All his siblings are still alive. Besides Marie, the only one who performs now is Merrill, the original lead singer of the brothers. Jimmy, the youngest brother had a stroke in 2018, and has trouble talking, but apparently is an artist who does paintings now.

Both fricked their sisters

You Mormons don't give up do you.