MEXICO: Mexican fans of Michael Jackson break world record to mark singer's birthday

Record ID: 1530795

  • Title: MEXICO: Mexican fans of Michael Jackson break world record to mark singer's birthday
  • Date: 31st August 2009
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF CROWD SINGING "HEAL THE WORLD"
  • Embargoed: 15th September 2009 14:50
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA7MO7MNZKFN3K8Y4CNHTEZBTC4
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Thousands of fans gather in Mexico City's Revolution Monument to set world record for largest number of people to recreate Michael Jackson's Thriller dance routine to mark what would have been his 51st birthday.
    Over 13,000 Mexicans broke the world record on Saturday (August 29) after converging on Mexico City's Revolution Monument to recreate Michael Jackson's epic Thriller dance routine to mark what would have been the singer's 51st birthday.
    The fans began practicing for the event on Tuesday under the watchful eye of Michael Jackson impersonators and choreographers.
    A total of 13,107 fans turned out and performed the routine.
    "I want to tell the world that today, we broke the record with 13,107 registered people, some of whom came from other parts of the country to break the Guiness record," Mexico's Tourism Secretary and event organizer Alejandro Rojas said. "We are very happy because the initiative came from the people."
    "From what I heard about what Barcelona and other locations had, Mexico surpassed them by a lot. It is something that is very impressive," Notary Public Alfonso Fermeno said.
    The event came one day after the Los Angeles County Coroner ruled Jackson's June 25th death a homicide from drug overdose, fueling speculation his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, may soon be charged with manslaughter or another crime.
    The Los Angeles County Coroner said in its ruling that the powerful anesthetic propofol, which is used in surgery and has been dubbed "milk of amnesia" by some doctors, as well as the sedative lorazepam were the primary drugs responsible for Jackson's sudden death on June 25 at the age of 50.
    Other drugs found in the singer's body were midazolam, diazepam, lidocaine and ephedrine.
    Los Angeles police said they will refer the case to prosecutors for possible criminal charges when they have completed a probe into Jackson's death. In previous court filings, police have said Murray, who was with the singer the day he died, was being investigated for manslaughter.
    Jackson, whose "Thriller" CD is the best-selling album of all time, died suddenly in Los Angeles after suffering cardiac arrest only weeks before a series of comeback concerts.
    Murray, a heart specialist with offices in Houston and Las Vegas, was hired to care for the singer while he prepared for the concerts, and he was at Jackson's bedside the day he died.
    The doctor previously has admitted to police that he administered propofol, which has a milky appearance and is used to sedate patients, to help Jackson sleep.
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