Nothing quite brings home the utter and complete sadness of Michael Jackson’s life like the audiotape of a phonecall in which the massively drugged-out performer slurs his fantasies about being the greatest performer in the world and building a children’s hospital. Anybody who dreams of pushing their children into show business ought to listen to this pitiful thing, which was played today in the Los Angeles trial of his doctor.

I would rather my children become ditch-diggers than pop stars. Seriously, I mean that.