In a story that's chock-full of crazy, Michael Jackson is reportedly in talks to build a 50-foot robotic replica of himself in the Las Vegas desert. According to Mike Luckman (of consulting firm/shameless enablers Luckman Van Pier), the robot will also shoot laser beams so it would be the first thing seen by arriving planes. "Neon is wonderful," Luckman says, "but it's old school."
The robot will be built as a promotional tool for a long-term casino show—similar to Celine Dion's—that Jackson is reportedly prepping. And despite all the batshit insanity surrounding this story, it may have an upside: Sir Paul McCartney is one of the proposed investors, meaning he may be in a position to reclaim the 25% of the Beatles catalog still owned by Jackson.
Jackson, meanwhile, is hard at work on a new album with producers like Rodney Jerkins and will.i.am, which will apparently find him rapping on a few tracks. Currently, Jackson is without a record deal.