I debated a little bit about writing this post. I know, even in less than 24 hours, that many of us have heard far more about the topic than we care to. That maybe it would be better off if I left everything to the news media since it’s what they thrive on. But when I feel so strongly about something, I have to talk or write it out — otherwise I obsess over it.
Here’s the thing. For years, all people (myself included) have done is alternately ridicule and ignore Michael Jackson. He was known as a joke, a freak, a pedophile and a plastic surgery junkie. It was a rare moment when his musical genius was discussed. Now that he’s dead, that thing I hate is happening — all the bad stuff about him is pushed to the back of people’s minds and the only thing that is focused on is the positive influence he once had on our culture.
Not only that, but the whole sordid situation has thrown the media into a frenzy. How can there be so much to talk about when the man has been dead less than 24 hours? Why have broadcasters all but forgotten Farrah Fawcett who, although she wasn’t the genius MJ once was, was still a legend of sorts who deserved a little more than what she got? Why do deaths of celebrities take precedent over much more pressing issues in the country and the world? When it comes right down to it, they’re just people and all people die. It’s a fact of life.
For me, the only good that comes out of situations like these is that they remind you — cliched though it may be — that life is short. Pack everything you can into your days because you never know when you’ll be done. Tell the people close to you that you love them. If they live far away, plan a trip to see them. Do something you’ve always wanted to do, but have avoided because you’re scared. Don’t get sick or drop dead one day with any regrets.
/end rant
I see your point. I do. But to say that many of us ridiculed or teased him is untrue actually. I have many MJ songs on my ipod, I rock to ABC all the time. My years have been spent wondering where it all went wrong for him. Not ridiculing.
And, this is what happens when people die. Thanfully. We remember the good.
His crimes were alleged, and some may consider this a copout, but I have never once believed MJ had sex with children. I believe MJ had sex with no one, for probably 20 years. The man was too far gone.
I think it’s just as easy to discount his importance, his influence and the shock of his death as it is to gloss over his alleged crimes and cry about how much we loved him.
No one was as big, famous and influential as MJ. Let the world mourn for a day.
I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one. In my personal experience, many of us have ridiculed and teased him or, at the very least, made a snide comment or laughed at someone else’s joke. I also think it’s great to remember the good about people — I really do — but I think it’s a mistake to not remember a person as they really were. We are all flawed and I think it is a misstep to sweep those flaws under the carpet. Please don’t mistake what I’ve written above as a way of discounting his importance or his genius. I loved MJ, too. I remember being a little girl and buying this awesome purse at a flea market. It was pink and a photo of Michael from his Thriller days had been screened on the side. I LOVED that thing, loved his music and used to watch The Jackson 5 on Saturday mornings. I’m sad that his genius made him crazy (as so often happens) and that he has passed on. And I’m all for letting the world mourn for a day. But I think it will go on and on for much more than one day and, in the meantime, I think there are other, much more important things that need to be focused on.
I found out MJ died while flipping through the channels. It was CNN or something, and I had to change it after about 5 minutes because ALL they talked about was his tarnished past and the “great American story” that was his life (as in the great material he gave these crappy journalists). Granted, this is going to be covered, but this was my first news of it…I needed some positivity.
I turned the channel to MTV. They were playing all Michael’s videos. As a fan who never believed he molested a child and felt badly for this “freak,” I would much rather see the goodness of Michael than listen to speculation and the details surrounding his death.
I hope he is finally resting peacefully!
Me too! I think he was so tortured in his later years … maybe this is what he wanted all along?
Okay, one more thing…
(I feel very strongly about this)
If one is to say that there are way more important things to talk about and discuss…then really, let’s discuss them. Let’s blog about Iran, let’s blog about North Korea. Not to be mean about this, but if you don’t want to discuss MJ’s death, don’t.
Everyone who is taking the energy and time to talk about how unimportant this is, is just fueling the fire they’re trying to put out…no?
Hixx, I had no idea you felt strongly about this.
I wrote at the beginning of my post that I debated about posting it altogether and that’s because I feel the same way — me writing about it continues the cycle of all the chatter. At the same time, what I’m trying to get at is less about Michael and more about how things are handled in general. What our values are. What we consider important. Etc.
And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to blog every day about Korea or Iran or Darfur. I’m not educated enough on those topics to be spouting off about them on a regular basis. But the news media is — and they have a responsibility to not push other items of tantamount importance down to the bottom of the totem pole when someone famous dies.
I agree with you — I understand why the media has to mention and discuss MJ’s passing, because he does have an important place in music and entertainment history. BUT, at the same time, the fact that his death is considered “Important Breaking News!” and pushes so many other actually important stories out of the news (or far down the page) for what will likely be days just frustrates me.
I don’t know if the “news” outlets are dumbing down the American public or vice versa. Either way, I’m getting really fed up with it.
I’m frustrated and fed up, too. And I really appreciate your feedback — lord knows this is not the most popular opinion to have.
Yes yes and YES. Thank you for writing this. I was having trouble putting my feelings into words and this reflects some of my thoughts quite well.
Thanks!
I am so with you on this. I know he was an American icon, and certainly worth mention, but there is so much more going on in the world. We’re at war! How is that not covered with the same scrutiny as the LA coroner’s report? Interesting times we live in…
Yes, interesting, indeed!
I really have to agree with you on the comment of the media coverage difference between MJ and Farrah. As soon as this hit, I said to a girl I work with that Farrah won’t get anything anywhere near MJ’s coverage and sadly, I was right.
It really is sad. I’ve heard people try to justify it — that Farrah’s death was expected (maybe, but was MJ’s truly a shock?) and that she wasn’t as iconic as MJ (depends on who you ask) — but I think, if the media really wants to go to town covering celebrity deaths, she deserved more than she got.
Celebrities are just human and humans obviously die, but its strange the number of celebrities and famous people who have died recently:
-MJ
-Farah Fawcett
-Romeo LeBlanc(One of Canada’s Governor Generals)
-David Carradine
-Ed McMahon
-Billy Mays (not the biggest celeb but still)
It is a little strange, that’s for sure.