Branca-McClain letter of complaint to Discovery

THE LETTER: In closely related news, co-executors John Branca and John McClain fired off an angry letter to Discovery Communications head David M. Zaslav protesting the Jan. 13 broadcast in the U.K. of Michael Jackson's Autopsy: What Really Killed Michael Jackson, which will reenact the autopsy. “We were especially outraged when a sickening print advertisement for the program appeared making light of Michael's death by depicting a corpse sprawled on a steel gurney covered by a sheet with a hand sticking out wearing Michael's signature sequined glove,” they wrote in the letter, dated Dec. 29. “Discovery obviously views this as clever advertising and creative ‘branding’ for its program. But in fact, the ad is debased, sick and insensitive. No doubt this fictitious, morbid image is being spread worldwide even now on the Internet, viewed by Michael's loved ones, and even accepted as authentic by those who may be unaware that Discovery made it up… On behalf of Michael's family, fans, common sense and decency, we urge you to reconsider and cancel this program." A Discovery spokesperson declined to comment to the L.A. Times, which had obtained a copy of the actual letter. (12/30a)