Michael Jackson Too?

[Alex Franke]

We're not talking about drug or alcohol abuse, or shoplifting, laying a beating on your woman, or even dog fighting. We're talking about child molestation. That is the nuclear bomb of skeletons in the closet, if you ask me, and certainly is capable (in my opinion) of "automagically" negating any and all positive impact he had on the world.

Maybe "negate" was the wrong word. What I mean is that it doesn't just make that person's contributions to the world just magically disappear. Thriller and "We are the world" are still out there, MTV still plays videos by African American artists, his charitable contributions don't need to be returned, etc.

Besides, I didn't follow the case, but I didn't think he was convicted. (Was he? I don't know.) Check Berry, on the other hand, was convicted of trafficking a child, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be thankful for Johnny B. Goode and Maybellene... The only other related case I can think of is Jerry Lee Lewis, but I don't think he was convicted of anything either. (Which, of course, begs the question, how can you marry your 13 year old cousin and not get into some kind of trouble for it? )

[pelligrini]

OK I had enough of the news already... I hope nothing important happens because they won't discuss it.

Even on NPR this afternoon I heard a report about how all the other reports and stories are doing the coverage, tributes, etc...

Reporting on reporting??? WTF? (I hope it doesn't get as bad as the OJ thing)

[Alex Franke]

Even on NPR this afternoon I heard a report about how all the other reports and stories are doing the coverage, tributes, etc...

Reporting on reporting??? WTF? (I hope it doesn't get as bad as the OJ thing)

Thanks for reporting that. :lol:

[pelligrini]

Oh oh, I didn't think of that... reporting on the reporter that reported about the reporting...

Somebody make it stop!

[rjwaldren]

It was weird yesterday, LOML, asked Farrah/Jackson, I hoped online and found it right as her sister called about it. I remember thriller hitting the skating rink. But I was suprised that when I saw it was true I felt a momentary "something". Good/Bad, Crazy/Sane he was entertaining. The truth about accusations made against him will never be known, so just like OJ, public opinion will judge him. I did see a news story yesterday that was interesting.

They were talking about some of the crazy photo's, etc, actually were leaked by Jackson's own people. And that terms of the leaks were that words like "bizarre" be used in the stories. That along with one claim that Jackson had a goal of being a PT Barnum like figure, really brings the question, "How much was just a PR stunt?"

[/POSSIBLE MODERATION NEEDED/]
Now on a completely distasteful note (from buddy in a text msg):

"When Farrah got to heaven, God asked if she had one wish for mankind. She wished that all the children were safe from harm..." (I'll let you figure out what happen next)

[tfischer]

They were talking about some of the crazy photo's, etc, actually were leaked by Jackson's own people. And that terms of the leaks were that words like "bizarre" be used in the stories. That along with one claim that Jackson had a goal of being a PT Barnum like figure, really brings the question, "How much was just a PR stunt?"

I've heard that before, but I don't buy it. All that PR painted him as a freak, and I don't know a soul who went out and bought his music over it. In fact, a lot of us found ourselves defending our desire to throw on a CD of his music once in awhile, due to his freakish nature.

-Tim

[germdoc]

Well, I have OD'd on the MJ stuff inadvertently, just by listening to NPR, the oldies station, etc., in the shop. He was incredibly talented and incredibly troubled. It's too bad you can't have one without the other. He reminds me so much of Elvis, Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe in this respect.

I was not a huge fan of his, but there's no denying his genius. Check this out and tell me you can't see the excitement in what he was doing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep6EKtzfty4

That was a pivotal moment on a par with Elvis cutting "That's Alright, Mama", Jimi torching his guitar at Monterey, and the Beatles on Ed Sullivan.

Unfortunately, in our society popular success and money pretty much give you carte blanche to do any stupid thing you want. I wish his family and friends had worked harder to steer him away from the self-destructive things he did as he got older.