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Stars such as Liza Minnelli, Dionne Warwick, Dick Clark, will.i.am, Donald Trump and many others are opening up to ET about the shocking death of Michael Jackson on Thursday. Read on for their heartfelt reactions.
Liza Minnelli says: "He was a kind, genuine, and wonderful man. He was also one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived. I loved him very much and I will miss him every remaining day of my life."
"The news of the passing of Michael Jackson comes as a heartbreaking shock for me," says Dionne Warwick. "Michael was a friend and undoubtedly one of the world's greatest entertainers that i fortunately had the pleasure of working with. ... he will live on in my memory and most definitely through the music he shared with so many."
"Today, the world has lost one of the most influential and iconic figures in the music industry," Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. "Maria and I join all Californians in expressing our shock and sadness over his death and our hearts go out the Jackson family, Michael's children and to his fans worldwide."
"I am so grateful to have worked with the King," says will.i.am. "He was a gift to the world, he is a bright light and I wouldn't be surprised if the world stopped spinning tomorrow."
"I knew Michael as a child and watched him grow over the years," Dick Clark says. "Of all the thousands of entertainers I have worked with, Michael was THE most outstanding. Many have tried and will try to copy him, but his talent will never be matched. He was truly one-of-a-kind."
"Michael Jackson was clearly one of the greatest entertainers of our era," Del Bryant, President & CEO of Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) says. "His influence dominated and defined our culture not only in music, but in fashion, dance, film and so much more."
"Michael Jackson, and the talented family-members he leaves behind, represented the pride and promise of generations of people around the globe," NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous says in a statement. "His dedication to humanitarian issues, including helping to raise untold millions of dollars to alleviate poverty and hunger, showed us that he understood how to use his fame to advocate for equality and freedom worldwide. Michael's compassion and vision for a better world extended beyond recording studios and arena stages."