Is it Joe, Or Joseph?
Getting to the bottom of the middle name dilemma as well as tackling just one example of the exhaustive things Michael was subjected to on a constant basis.
There has been a lot of confusion over many things regarding Michael, not the least of which is, since his passing, the apparent significance of his middle name.
It should be noted that both Joe and Joseph are used as his middle name on different legal documents, including his driver’s license, his will, other contracts and the autopsy report (the autopsy report lists Joseph as a middle name on some documents and just Jackson, Michael or Jackson, Michael J, on others).
This has also become a point of contention among fans, especially those believing that Michael either faked his death to escape murder or faked his death as some kind of political or artistic statement, and that he is due for a return the creative likes of which we have never seen before.
Also, this video is just but one example in the fan community of his middle name causing a lot of confusion and second guessing:
With all of that in mind and with regards to Michael’s middle name….what’s the truth? And what is the significance of his middle name in all of this? It’s but one discrepency, bu it’s important to know what the truth is.
For instance, in the FBI files, paperwork filed refers to Michael as Michael Joe Jackson, which, according to this photo, was the name on his expired driver’s license.
This is Michael Jackson’s driver’s license copy directly from the FBI Files online
Above is an FBI Document stating that Michael’s true name is Michael Joe Jackson (most likely gleaned from his driver’s license) Just to note as well, nothing ever came of any of these accusations that were in the file.
This is Michael Jackson’s Driver’s License application as stored in the FBI files. On this application, as well as his license, he is listed as Michael Joe Jackson, male, black hair, brown eyes, 5’9 and 120 pounds.
Some additional sources of variances on Michael’s name and signature:
Both Paris’ and Prince’s birth certificates apparently, if they are genuine, list Michael Joseph Jackson as the Father of the Child and Prince’s birth certificate lists Prince’s name as Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. Prince was named after Michael’s grandfather and great-grandfather, also both named Prince.
These papers above are said to be a legal document that Joe Jackson (his full name is listed as Joseph Jackson above) signed as part of the custody agreement for Katherine Jackson to have custody of Michael’s children after his passing. You will notice that this document states that Joseph is the father of the decedent, Michael Joseph Jackson.
Michael’s Will lists him as Michael Joseph Jackson:
The official Autopsy Report has some varying versions of his name. See below:
For instance…Here’s the breakdown:
The case report states the deceased as Michael Joseph Jackson, or correctly, as Jackson, Michael Joseph
*the Investigator’s narrative as Jackson, Michael
*Medical evidence he’s listed as Jackson, Michael Joseph again
*the autopsy report as Jackson, Michael (no middle name)…most official documents put the last name first for filing purposes)
*the Forensic Consultant’s Report, listed again as Jackson, Michael (no middle name)
*the odontology consult, his full name, Jackson, Michael Joseph
*neuropathology, Jackson, Michael J
*the anesthesiology consultation as Jackson, Michael Joseph
*radiology the same, Jackson, Michael Joseph
*the Microscopic report, Jackson, Michael J
*the Laboratory Analysis, Jackson, Michael Joseph
*Forensic Consultant’s Report: Jackson, Michael
*Summary of Positive Toxicological Findings: Jackson, Michael Joseph
You will note that the case number remains consistent on every single piece of the report….2009-04415
The minor discrepancies on the way the name was typed, either Jackson, Michael Joseph; Jackson, Michael; or Jackson, Michael J were due to different departments. Each department remained consistent in how the name was presented.
There are other items of concern mentioned by fans regarding the autopsy report that will be for another upcoming blog as it’s too extensive to cover here.
Some believe this middle name difference is the key and another clue as to Michael’s still being alive, even going so far as to say that McDonald’s was in on the hoax because they featured this billboard (many hoax believers felt that this billboard, using the 2 discrepancies of Michael’s middle name, was a sign)
This billboard appeared in the summer of 2010 and this blog by Steve Baird speaks about the significance of this billboard.
Similarly, McDonalds’ current billboard ad campaign confirms that the fast food giant prefers formality, i.e., Joseph over Joe, at least when it comes to selling its premium roast coffee in competition with the likes of Starbucks and Caribou Coffee:
Source: http://www.duetsblog.com/tags/cocacola/
I bring all of this up only because it has become such a disagreeing point among fans and has caused division and lots of untruths to be spread around, and to show that, what we see and hear, is not always truth. You have to seek and search. If you use common sense and approach everything in a spirit of finding truth and taking the time to do a little research, it is not as confusing as it at first, might seem.
Many claim that Joe is Michael’s middle name, and not Joseph, and have argued with me over using “Michael Joseph Jackson” in the subtitle of the website’s logo. Just as a sidenote….Michael’s family as well as his friends have seen the website and there has never been any contention over the name used.
Here’s an old magazine article in which LaToya was interviewed, stating that Michael’s “christened” name, meaning baptismal name, was Michael Joe Jackson after their father Joe (who, just as a note, is also referred to as Joseph at times, including in the legal custody document shared above)
To put this issue to rest completely, once and for all, I’ll let the man himself tell you what his middle name is, as stated below in this deposition from 1994. Michael is asked to state his full name at the very beginning of the video below.
Nothing could be more truthful and definitive on this issue than Michael himself, stating in this deposition, before the courts, that his middle name is indeed, Joseph, but, for those who still doubt, I will share that I was given a copy of the memorial program that was given to guests at the funeral (not the televised memorial, but the actual funeral service) and there is a write-up in the back which states Michael’s name as “Michael Joseph Jackson” and the copyright on the program is that of Katherine Jackson’s, so she would have had to approve the content of this program.
As far as Michael’s name being listed as Michael Joe Jackson in the 2005 trial? That is the name that Michael himself gave to the court/lawyers and that is why it was used on the 2005 court documents (this comes from a highly reputable source who had inside access).
So, Michael himself stated his name officially in this 1994 deposition as Michael Joseph Jackson, and in 2005, he gave as his name, Michael Joe Jackson. So it seems to me that he used both Joe and Joseph, interchangeably as his middle name.
The FBI documents list Michael as Michael Joe Jackson, most likely as this was the name on his driver’s license.
What does this tell us? That minor variations of his name….Michael Jackson, Michael Joe Jackson and Michael Joseph Jackson, have all been used throughout the years in different documents, in the press and by Michael himself.
I would also like to note that Joe is just a derivative of the name Joseph, a shortened version of the name, and the two can be used interchangeably. I have a brother whose formal name is Joseph, but most call him Joe. My formal name is Deborah, but people call me Deborah, Debbie or even Deb. Even Michael could be Michael or Mike. I know people who have used shortened versions of their first names on legal documents and signed other documents with their full names. It’s not all that unusual.
Wikipedia’s page for Michael Jackson lists him this way
Birth name |
Michael Joseph Jackson[1] |
Also known as |
Michael Joe Jackson |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson
Here’s another point. The copyright on “Dancing the Dream” for instance, is issued to Michael Jackson (no middle name), so would the exclusion of his middle name invalidate the copyright? Of course not!
Here is another point from a traveler whose first name was Joseph, but his ticket said Joe, so it did not match his ID: http://www.elliott.org/blog/uh-oh-josephs-ticket-says-joe-will-he-be-allowed-to-fly/
That begs the question, would it be legal for Michael to sign some papers as Michael Joseph Jackson and others as Michael Joe Jackson?
I am still searching and researching for that answer, but the obvious, at this point at least, is that evidently it was not an issue as he had used both Joe and Joseph as his middle name in legal court cases (the 1994 deposition and then in the 2005 trial) and on varying paperwork and documents. I would think if it had been a problem, then the courts would have most definitely taken up issue with him on that, no doubt.
Once I get a proper answer to this, I will address that as well. ~ Debbie
Now, to cover an entirely different subject that the above deposition video brings up….the fact that Michael Jackson had, according to his friend, painter David Nordahl’s interview with me, 50-60 extortion attempts PER YEAR!
Michael went through this kind of thing regularly. Some times he didn’t have to show up to court, other times he would. Every single time the charges against him (fathering someone’s child…many were paternity extortion attempts…or stealing someone’s song or lyrics, were all proven FALSE!)
Here is the rest of that series. This is just but a small portion of what Michael had to deal with in his life and if you listen closely, you will see, that despite the ridiculousness of the claims, that Michael remains kind and humble throughout….which very clearly shows his character.
Michael’s life was complicated…because of his childhood, his immense talent and his fame. Many un-truths are printed as fact. Many other things seem confusing or are made more confusing or “spectacular” by either the press, the public, and sometimes sadly, the fans themselves. We need to stick to facts, to truth and when things are uncertain, to stand by the man Michael Jackson was (his character stands all for itself and points to ultimate truth), which was so clear if you just take the time to look (and pay no attention to the lies the press showed you) and stand by the knowledge that in time, God will bring truth forward.