Drug Czar On CNN: "Talk To Your Kids"

"This prescription drug problem doesn't know boundaries of race, or ethnicity, or economic class," the Director of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in an interview today on "The Situation Room."

Kerlikowske, who is better known as the nation's drug czar, said that Michael Jackson's death "is a wake-up call to the country about prescription drugs". He said that the death rate from drug overdoses in this country is greater than that for gunshot wounds. The latest data, according to Kerlikowske, put the number of drug overdoses "in the 30,000 range" in 2006.

Blitzer entered into the conversation of his own interview: "We look at these celebrities like Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith, or Heath Ledger - the allegations of addiction - and it's going on in part because doctors are not doing what they're supposed to do," he said.

"There are doctors who abuse the law and abuse their patients," Kerlikowske said, although he was quick to point out that the majority of doctors are working within the law and are genuinely concerned about their patients. "There are a number of parts," he said. "There are patients who doctor shop. There are drugs that are taken out of extended care facilities or medicine cabinets. There's a whole list of things."

Blitzer pressed Kerlikowske on the issue of bad doctors: "How do you punish these doctors who just give prescriptions for really serious drugs they shouldn't be giving?" he asked.

"Well, the Drug Enforcement Administration does a very good job on that," Kerlikowske, who is the former police chief of Seattle, answered. "The thing that really looks bright is the prescription drug monitoring programs - 38 states now have laws; 33 have operations - that gives the public health services, and sometimes law enforcement, the ability to find out about doctors that are perhaps over-prescribing, and it also gives the opportunity to find out about patients who are going to multiple doctors."

"If you have money," Blitzer responded, staying on the subject of bad doctors, "you'll basically be able to find a doctor who's willing to write a prescription basically for almost anything. There are doctors who abuse the system to make a buck."

"Yes, but there are a lot of other ways these drugs, these powerful painkillers, these prescriptions, that are getting out into the hands of young people," the drug czar responded.

When asked by Blitzer how we stop the problem, Kerlikowske said that "we're advocates of the prescription drug monitoring programs where the states are passing these laws and we're going to work very closely to make sure they have the tools to put these into effect. The other is our media campaign, the Anti-Drug Youth Media Campaign. We ran a number of ads both in February of '08 and also in April of '09 to educate parents, look, be concerned about what's in your medicine cabinets."

Blitzer asked Kerlikowske if there is a lesson to be learned from Michael Jackson's tragic death. He answered: "If we can bring to the attention of the people the dangers of prescription drug abuse, I think there is some benefit to this country."

Kerlikowske's best advice from his rambling interview with Blitzer: "Talk to your kids."

Bubbles The Chimp - Back In The Limelight

Born in a small town in Texas in 1983, Bubbles the chimp rose from obscurity to become a part of Michael Jackson's entourage at the young age of eight months.

As the news media scratches their collective heads looking for more information to report, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper got the inside scoop on Bubbles, tracking him down at the Center for Great Apes, a nonprofit sanctuary in Florida. Bubbles is now 26 years old and retired. He hangs out with 41 other chimpanzees and orangutans, many former circus performers or show business veterans.

In an exclusive television report last night, CNN's Cooper said that Bubbles and the King of Pop "lived together, dressed alike, and went on tour together." He then cut to a YouTube clip from 1987 showing the two drinking "tea" together. Anonymous reports that they were actually drinking wine have not been substantiated, although most of Jackson's former entourage are unable to talk to the media because of "non-disclosure" agreements. As to the reports that the two went to parties together, Cooper said: "This is the 1980's, so hey, different rules apply."

Bubbles became an instant celebrity when he was introduced to Jackson by animal trainer Bob Dunn, and the chimp lived with Jackson until the late 1980's. At five years old, according to CNN, Bubbles and Jackson toured Japan, where the chimp moonwalked to the delight of the media and his adoring fans. The image of the moonwalking chimp never completely left the public consciousness, but Bubbles faded from the limelight after he was given back to Dunn's training facility because he got too big and aggressive. When Dunn closed down his training facility, Bubbles ended up at the Center for Great Apes in 2004.

CNN reporter John Zarella was live on the scene at Bubble's retirement home. Up until now, Bubbles has enjoyed his relative obscurity, although Jackson has never visited him since the two parted ways, according to Zarella. He eats lunches of bananas and cucumbers, and relaxes with the other chimps and orangutans. Patti Ragan, director for the Center for Great Apes, told Zarella "they groom each other and they fight and they have arguments too".

Although Jackson never visited Bubbles, Ragan said in the CNN interview that "most of our chimps recognize their former owners. They get very excited to see them, and I am sure he would have recognized him." She went on to say: "Probably the best tribute that we could pay to Michael Jackson here is to just take excellent care of Bubbles, because I know he loved Bubbles." If that's the case, why didn't Jackson visit his beloved chimp?

According to People.com's Johnny Dodd, a representative for Jackson contacted the sanctuary not long after Bubbles arrived there in 2005, saying that Jackson wanted to come and visit his former BFF and party buddy. But Jackson never made the trip. Ragan told Dodd that Bubbles hasn't been told of his childhood friend's recent death. "We haven't said anything to him yet," she says, adding that Bubbles is well-adjusted and behaving like a typical chimp: "He's been his usual self, interacting with friends, eating well, taking cover when it rains."

CNN's Zarella said that after Tarzan's cheetah, Bubbles may be the most famous chimpanzee in the world. Now that the media circus has come to Bubbles retirement home in Florida, he is no longer second to Tarzan's pet. Everything related to the pop star is taking on larger-than-life proportions, and Bubbles is arguably bigger than anyone else from Jackson's former entourage, and that includes former child star Corey Feldman, who came out of the woodwork saying how sad he was to have not made up with Jackson after a well-known feud. Feldman is just one of many people from the pop star's past trying to get some of the media spotlight to shine on them.

CNN's Cooper, known for his distinguished news show, has been criticized for making a big deal over a chimp. But Bubbles is just as much a part of the Michael Jackson story as his other hangers-on and "enablers," as family attorney Brian Oxman famously calls the people in Jackson's life who watched him become addicted to drugs, and did nothing to stop it. This includes doctors, close friends and family. But Bubbles didn't have an agenda. He never got caught up with the lavish lifestyle of superstardom.

Bubbles may have been the only true friend Jackson had, precisely because he couldn't care less about the extravagant lifestyle and the adoring fans. But Bubbles had his fans, and Anderson Cooper has given them a glimpse of his simple yet relaxing life. Because of Cooper's groundbreaking reporting, we now know that Bubbles enjoys making faces and taking naps.

The details of Jackson's funeral have not been announced, but Bubbles will be noticeably absent. According to England's newspaper The Sun, "Bubbles will spend the day listening to calming flute music". The Sun reports that Bubbles is much healthier than when he was hanging out with Jackson, and that he has reportedly been signed to a movie and book deal.

Ragan, the sanctuary director, told People.com that Bubbles could easily live to the age of 60. Jackson's will was released yesterday, and there was no mention of Bubbles, so apparently he won't be raking in any profits from Jackson's death. It seems that Bubbles was snubbed, as was the surrogate mother of his two older kids, Debbie Rowe, and Joe Jackson, his father. While Joe Jackson is trying to profit from his son's death - he famously plugged his new record label earlier this week on CNN - Bubbles will no doubt try to stay out of the limelight. Until the movie comes out.

Did Prescription Drugs Kill Michael Jackson?

The untimely death of Michael Jackson has put the spotlight on the issue of prescription drug abuse. On the night that Jackson died, Brian Oxman, the family spokesman and attorney, told CNN that the people surrounding Jackson were "enabling him" and that prescription drugs were most likely the cause of his death.

New age guru and medical doctor Deepak Chopra, a longtime Jackson friend, echoed Oxman a day later on CNN: "I think drugs killed him." Chopra said he has been concerned since 2005 that Jackson was abusing prescription drugs. Chopra said Jackson asked him for painkillers following his trial on sex abuse allegations in 2005. When Chopra refused, Jackson reportedly found other doctors willing to make house calls at Jackson's various residences in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara County, Miami and New York.

Chopra and Oxman brought up the issue of prescription drug use in the hours after Jackson's death, and they're probably right, although the official cause of death is not expected for several weeks. Originally the cause of death was said to be cardiac arrest, and the news reports coming out originally didn't give much more information than that.

The suddenness of Jackson's death caught the media by surprise, but interviews with people who knew Jackson started to suggest something other than a common heart attack. The nanny of Jackson's kids repeatedly contacted Chopra with concerns about his drug use over the last four years. Many of his friends and acquaintances knew of his ongoing problem with prescription drugs, but chose to do nothing about it.

The media circus that followed Jackson's death caught up with the drug rumors, and the focus of the story became Jackson's live-in cardiologist, Dr. Conrad Murray. Murray was with Jackson at the time of his death and tried to resuscitate him. Reports have surfaced that Jackson was given a shot of Demerol just hours before his death, and he was hooked on prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin. Dr. Murray's attorney has told the Associated Press that his client did not prescribe these or any other drugs to Jackson.

Questions remain as to how a cardiologist ended up living with Jackson, who reportedly hired the doctor to accompany him on his comeback tour, which was to start in a couple of weeks in London, England. The police have questioned Murray, but he has remained silent and is only speaking through his attorney, who so far hasn't released any information other than that his client is innocent of any wrongdoing.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, a friend of the family, on Saturday told ABC's "Good Morning America" that he had spent Friday counseling the family. "They are suspicious of this doctor and they have real reason to be because any other doctor would say, 'Here's what happened in the last hour of his life and I was there. I gave him some medicine'," Rev. Jackson said. "He owes it to the family and to the public."

The abuse of prescription drugs is not limited to the rich and famous. It has taken the shock of Michael Jackson's tragic death to highlight a problem that has been growing over the last few years. The abuse of prescription drugs, including painkillers and stimulants, now ranks second, only behind marijuana, as the nation's most prevalent illegal drug problem, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Among teens and young adults, the use of prescription drugs to get high is becoming an increasingly troublesome and dangerous problem.

Sean Clarkin, director of strategy for the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, says young people are drawn to prescription drugs because "there is a relatively low perception of risk. Some of those attitudes that kids have are shared by their parents," Clarkin says. "There is a cultural climate, the 'pill for any ill' mentality is contributing to this."

As for Jackson, no solid evidence has yet emerged that he was abusing prescription drugs, but if you look at the case realistically, you can pretty much rule everything else out. A medical check-up in April for the purpose of clearing Jackson's insurance company to cover his comeback tour, showed no evidence of cardiac problems. He was working out with bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno, who said Jackson appeared to be in excellent health. Jackson performed a full dress rehearsal at the Staples Center the night before his death, without needing any breaks or showing any signs of illness.

As a spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner's office said that more tests would be required to determine if prescription drugs contributed to his death, Jackson's family and fans have reached the conclusion that his death could have been prevented.

Brian Oxman finished his CNN interview just hours after Jackson's death by saying: "If you think that the case of Anna Nicole Smith was an abuse, it is nothing in comparison to what we have seen taking place in Michael Jackson's life. This is something which I feared and it is something which I warned about. I don't know the cause of all this, so I can't tell you what the ultimate result of it's going to be, but I can tell you for sure, when you warn people that this is what's going to happen and then it happens, where there is smoke, there is fire."

All of the drugs taken by Jackson were reportedly prescribed by licenced physicians. These are the "enablers" Oxman referred to, in addition to Jackson's friends and family members who knew about his addiction and did nothing.

Oxman, an attorney, had warned about Jackson's problem with prescription drugs. But what about Deepak Chopra, a medical doctor? He knew about the problem, and although he refused to prescribe any medicine, did he have an ethical obligation to intervene. In his interview with CNN, Chopra repeatedly called Jackson his "brother," but who would let their brother go down the lonely path travelled by Michael Jackson. As a doctor, there must have been more Chopra could do.

Experts in the area of drug prevention say that the Jackson case should be a good way to bring up the topic of prescription drug abuse to young people. The case should give parents a moment to reexamine the potential effects of abusing painkillers. "This is a teachable moment for parents," says Clarkin, "to communicate with their kids about abusing this stuff."

If Michael Jackson's death has brought the issue of prescription drug abuse to the forefront of the public consciousness, than something good has come out of the tragedy.

Joe Jackson - "I'm Grieving On The Inside"

Joe Jackson, the father of Michael Jackson, seemed rather jovial in an interview last night with CNN's Don Lemon at the BET Awards. He has a weird way of showing his grief. When asked by Lemon how he and his family were coping, Joe Jackson ignored the question in order to promote his new record company. He plugged a Blu-Ray disc of his son's music that he's selling.

Joe Jackson and the Reverand Al Sharpton held a press conference earlier today to discuss the pop star's shocking death on Thursday. Why Sharpton was there was not explained, but he is reportedly a family friend. As for his new record label, a way to capitalize financially on the tragedy, Joe Jackson was heavily criticized. Rev. Sharpton explained it like this: "He wanted to send a signal to the world that the Jackson family's going to continue doing what Michael did...give music and love to the world across all boundaries."

"I wish that Michael could be here to see all this," Joe Jackson said at the press conference, "instead of waiting for something to happen like this." As he spoke, he was smiling and looking over the large crowd outside his Encino residence. He could see dollar signs.

Michael Jackson's financial empire is a total mess. He made millions during his career, but he spent more. Now he's dead, and according to Amazon.com and other music news sources, his sales are going through the roof. In death, Michael Jackson has made the comeback he so much desired. Like Elvis Presley, he will surely continue to make money, and for now, bundles of it.

What Joe Jackson knows, and maybe the reason his grief seems to be tempered by relief, is that finally his son's spending habits have come to an end. You can't spend millions of dollars a month on rare animals, oxygen chambers, golden toilets and mummified bodies when you're dead. When asked about his seemingly happy demeanor, Joe Jackson told CNN: "I'm grieving on the inside." On the outside, he's making plans to cash in on his son's popularity.

"Michael is a superstar all over the world," Joe Jackson said. That much is true. He's grieving all the way to the bank. Ka-ching!

All Hell Breaks Out In Iran - Quiet Weekend In U.S.

It's Saturday, and I'm resting comfortably on my lounge chair by the pool drinking mojitos. In Iran, all hell is breaking out as anti-riot police are using tear gas and water cannons to silence angry mobs of demonstrators. The country's Supreme Leader, Ayatolla Ali Khamenei, yesterday cut off any further investigation into the country's disputed election results, and declared that any more demonstrations would be illegal. According to CNN, Twitter and other social networking sites are being used to spread the word about the protesters who are ignoring the Supreme Leader. Since foreign journalists have been barred from reporting in the country, YouTube images are being circulated, showing images of defiant protesters, some bloodied and beaten. Tensions are continuing to rise, and there are reports that injured protesters are being arrested as they arrive at hospitals. Twitter messages are urging the injured to be taken to foreign embassies that are sympathetic to their cause. The Australian Embassy, the British Embassy and the Italian Embassy, among others, are being listed as safe havens. The U.S. has no embassy in Iran because it has no diplomatic relations. In America, we're more concerned with Jennifer Anniston's new date, the rumored split of Brad and Angelina, and David Letterman's feud with Sarah Palin. As for me, I'm just trying to find some guacamole for my chips.

Obama To AMA: "America May Go The Way Of GM"

Sound bite of the day: "If we do not fix our health care system, America may go the way of GM." That was what President Obama said earlier today in a speech to the American Medical Association. He insisted that his plan for overhauling the nation's health care system would be good for them. Obama promised doctors that "we can build a health care system that allows you to be physicians instead of administrators and accountants." Obama said that limits on medical malpractice lawsuits could be necessary. He cited the need for doctors to cut costs by reducing the number of unnecessary procedures and tests that are performed in an effort to reduce the risk of malpractice claims. Under his cost-cutting plan, Obama said that restrictions on malpractice liability to protect doctors may be needed. Although he said he's not advocating putting caps on malpractice awards, Obama said "we need to explore a range of ideas about how to put patient safety first, and how to let doctors focus on practicing medicine." He said that doctors should be able to put their efforts into curing patients as apposed to worrying about a bureaucratic system that bases pay on the amount of tests and services. The AMA agrees with the Obama Administration that health care reforms are needed, but does not support the creation of a "public option" paid for by the government to ensure coverage for the 46 million Americans who are currently uninsured. Everyone agrees, however, that health care costs in this country have spiraled out of control. America spends 50% more per person than the next expensive nation, Switzerland, and our average lifespan is three years lower. "The costs are crushing us...We can't continue on this pathway," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Nation". She said that Obama is open to whatever ideas will work. Obama has kept his campaign promises to make health care reform a top priority of his administration. He has emphasized that health care is a major cause of our economic troubles. Obama said that rising health care costs could force America to follow in the footsteps of bankrupt automaker GM. If we follow that path, he said, we'll be "paying more, getting less and going broke". Obama also told the AMA: "Make no mistake, the cost of our health care is a threat to our economy. It is an escalating burden on our families and businesses. It is a ticking time-bomb for the federal budget, and it is unsustainable for the United States of America." It's a ticking time-bomb for the average American, which is the category that I fall into. In all probability, America won't go the way of GM. As far as health care reform, Obama's on the right track. He's the right man for the job. That's why I voted for him.

Supreme Court Nominee Called Racist By GOP

Sunday, May 31, 2009: I woke up around 10 a.m., jumped on the exercise bike, and watched CNN as I peddled. Sonia Sotomayor, the Supreme Court nominee, is being labeled a racist by right-wing Republicans Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich. The Hispanic nominee stands by a speech she made in 2001, although she probably would like to take back one sentence. She said that a "wise Latina woman" would make better decisions than a white male. Many Republicans are dodging the "racist" label by saying "no comment" when asked about Sotomayor's "Latina woman" comment. President Obama came to her defense in an interview with NBC news: "I'm sure she would have restated it," Obama said of the offending words. "But if you look at the entire speech, what's clear is that she was simply saying that her life experiences will give her information about the struggles and hardships that people are going through. That will make her a good judge." Even with the hysterical rhetoric by the Republicans, Sotomayor is expected to sail through the confirmation hearings. In other news, Susan Boyle came in second to a young dance troupe on "Britain's Got Talent." I got off my exercise bike, turned off the TV, and prepared my usual breakfast of coffee, oatmeal and a banana. I read Time magazine as I ate. But I ate quickly. It's Sunday, and I've got places to go, things to do. I'm headed to Trader Joe's to get some bananas. I've got to vacuum the living room. There's weeds in the plants in the back yard. My cell phone needs a battery. Then it's off to the museum. Oh no! I forgot to wash the car.

TV Viewers Jump To Cable

Television viewers are changing their viewing habits in light of the strange behavior of top executives at the major networks. Budgets are being cut on scripted shows because of the struggling economy. Reality shows such as "American Idol" and "Dancing With the Stars" continue to do well, although "Idol's" ratings are slightly down. There will be more reality shows to come, because in this economy, the cheaper the better. But what about the long-term. The end of network TV as we know it ends in September, when Jay Leno moves to 10 pm five nights a week. Compared to scripted shows, Leno's hour will be extremely cheap to produce, but it will come at a cost. More viewers, especially the 18-to-49-year-olds coveted by advertisers, are flocking to cable, and the 59-year-old Leno won't be able to keep more of them from flipping channels. Cable television, led by networks such as HBO and Showtime, has been giving viewers an option for a while now. But it's the emergence of basic cable channels such as AMC, FX, and TNT, that are changing viewers habits. Talented writers, who are losing their jobs at the major networks, are ending up working on critically acclaimed shows such as AMC's "Mad Men," TNT's "The Closer", and numerous other shows requiring a script instead of a host. Even though we all like Ryan Seacrest, Howie Mandel, and Regis Philbin, we don't need to have them hosting multiple shows which neither challenge the intellect nor add anything original to the television landscape. The network executives are challenged by the economy, but they are either not interested, or are being forced by higher-ups, not to look toward the future. For the viewer, the future of TV couldn't be better. The choices are many. For the major networks - ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox - the future is now. By September, when the new "Jay Leno Show" premieres in prime-time, the audience will already be mostly made up of 50-to-80-year-old non-college-educated former auto-workers and their pets. So while your dog is watching Jay Leno at 10 pm, be sure to DVR the latest episode of "Dexter" on Showtime.