# Jacko is Living in Bahrain, Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 20, 2005, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053 "2005-10-20T10:03:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/1 "2005-10-20T10:03:04Z")
First off, I guess I am something of an expert on the island-state of Bahrain. It is like our Las Vegas. Bacon, beer and babes. Still, I have a question. If Michael Jackson finally wised up and decided to move to a country that would turn a blind eye to his extracurricular activities, why Bahrain? He would be at the mercy of the next Emir (oops, he proclaimed himself a king a couple of years ago). He is exposed to a terrorism threat. I would have bet on Brazil. There he would have constitutional protection as they cannot extradite a man who fathers a Brazilian child. (How hard could that be to arrange? Amazing what they can do with Pyrex nowadays.) So why Bahrain? If you were in his shoes, where would you go? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/2 "2005-10-20T10:21:07Z")
[He is there because he was invited](http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=8724): > [@](#): > > He added that Jackson was invited by Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the king’s son, and is staying in one of the royal palaces. > > He described the visit as “very, very private.” > > It wasn’t immediately clear if any of Jackson’s family accompanied him on the trip. > > Sheik Abdullah is a very close friend of Jackson’s brother Jermaine. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/3 "2005-10-20T11:41:41Z")
I was expecting him to move to Thailand, or one of those places around there where they have child prostitution. The Middle East is pretty much the last place I would have expected him to go. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/4 "2005-10-20T14:26:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Sheik Abdullah is a very close friend of Jackson’s brother Jermaine. And thereby hangs a tale, I bet. The best thing for Jackson to do would probably involve get away from his creepy home and staying away from anyplace weird. Go to France, lots of celebs do that. But Bahrain? A little too odd. If most people can’t find it on a map, he should probably stay away from it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/5 "2005-10-20T15:08:16Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > And thereby hangs a tale, I bet. > > The best thing for Jackson to do would probably involve get away from his creepy home and staying away from anyplace weird. To what purpose? Do you really think anyone who has formed a negative opinion of Jacko is going to change it based on where he seeks seclusion? Or that his supporters, who stuck with him through the child molestation trial, are going to turn on him because he vacations in a “weird” place? I think he should do what ever he pleases, and damn what anybody thinks. He has nothing to gain by paying much attention the opinions of his critics. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/6 "2005-10-20T15:47:55Z")
I bet tax considerations had at least something to do with it. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/7 "2005-10-20T15:49:02Z")
You go to Brazil, you have to bribe a whole bunch of people. You go to Bahrain, you only have to bribe the guy at the top. That’s the advantage of cozying up with dictators. Once you’re in, you’re in. ---
**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/8 "2005-10-20T17:24:38Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > That’s the advantage of cozying up with dictators. Once you’re in, you’re in. (semi-snarky follow-up question) What happens if you’re out? ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/9 "2005-10-20T17:30:24Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > I was expecting him to move to Thailand, or one of those places around there where they have child prostitution. The Middle East is pretty much the last place I would have expected him to go. There is just as much legal child prostitution in California as there is in Thailand: none. The Thai government has been trying to shed that image for so long that they would \*love \* to publicly arrest and convict Jackson. He’d be a fool to go there. If I were a millionaire pariah of dubious legality, some caribbean island with easily-bought officials seems the best choice. ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/10 "2005-10-20T17:51:15Z")
Among other things he’s still a popular music figure with kids (& older) in the Gulf. People know who he is & like his music. My Qatari students loved him. (Then again this is one of the only places where you can find a classroom of 18 yr old boys who think Backstreet Boys rock…) Makes it easier for the palace doors to open I imagine. I’m thought he’d spend more time in the UAE (I think of Dubai & Abu Dhabi as the premiere local “Vegases;” to each his own), where he also visited royalty recently. It’s a freaky surreal part of the world & a rich man’s playground. Additionally there are a fair number of people willing to overlook a little boy buggery. Makes sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/11 "2005-10-20T18:01:44Z")
Oh yeah, also want to second **furt** ’s post. This is exactly why Gary Glitter got tossed from Cambodia. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/12 "2005-10-20T18:24:42Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The best thing for Jackson to do would probably involve get away from his creepy home and staying away from anyplace weird. I think where he chooses to live becomes weird by association. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/13 "2005-10-20T19:26:57Z")
> [@furt](#): > > If I were a millionaire pariah of dubious legality, some caribbean island with easily-bought officials seems the best choice. Yeah, but from what I gather, he’s very deep in debt, so the “millionaire” part might not be true. And I believe most of his expenses are being paid by his hosts. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/14 "2005-10-20T21:23:15Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Yeah, but from what I gather, he’s very deep in debt, so the “millionaire” part might not be true. Deep in debt does not equal broke. At the time of the acquittal, he had debts upward of $340 million; [Forbes magazine estimates his total holdings at $650 million](http://www.forbes.com/markets/currencies/2005/06/13/michael-jackson-mijac-sony-cz_bp_0613michael.html). He is in a short-term cash crisis, and may have to liquidate his holdings to pay his debts, but by any standard, he is still a millionaire, hundreds of times over. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/15 "2005-10-21T00:52:45Z")
He’s also been tapped for [jury duty,](http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/10/20/jackson.jury.duty.ap/) but is unlikely to serve. > [@](#): > > It’s unlikely that Jackson will show up for jury selection. His lawyers have filed paperwork for a deferment based on the fact that he now lives in Bahrain. > > “He is permanently living outside of the United States,” Thomas Mesereau, who defended Jackson against the child molestation charges, said Wednesday. > > Jury Commissioner Gary Blair said Jackson likely will be excused from serving. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/16 "2005-10-21T02:09:03Z")
Why Bahrain? 1) He likes themed retreat parks, and his host is building a hum-dinger of one. 2) Most anywhere in the western world, he would be mobbed in public and hounded by the paparazzi. 3) Why not? It’s not like he has never been to other places in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/17 "2005-10-21T02:12:54Z")
\ You know, I don’t think there is a factual answer to this one, only opinions. Off to IMHO with you! \ ---
**Author:** ![Foaming\_Cleanser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Foaming\_Cleanser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foaming_Cleanser)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/18 "2005-10-21T03:03:33Z")
Because his secret theme song is _If I Only Had a Bahrain_. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2005, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jacko-is-living-in-bahrain-why/327053/19 "2005-10-21T03:52:30Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > To what purpose? Do you really think anyone who has formed a negative opinion of Jacko is going to change it based on where he seeks seclusion? Or that his supporters, who stuck with him through the child molestation trial, are going to turn on him because he vacations in a “weird” place? I think he should do what ever he pleases, and damn what anybody thinks. He has nothing to gain by paying much attention the opinions of his critics. I don’t think Michael Jackson knows how people look at him. I think he thinks he’s a pretty normal guy that people like, and that his music career is going to take off again. So in accordance with that, yeah, I’d think moving to Bahrain wouldn’t fit.