I've kinda been thinking about Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett all weekend. I know that people like to say "celebrity deaths don't have anything to do with me". And that's true. But there is a difference between someone who is merely a "celebrity"- the worthless crop of people who are famous just for being famous- and someone who has had a significant cultural impact on society. And Michael Jackson clearly had a significant cultural impact on society. And that IS newsworthy.
And Farrah had a clear impact on my puberty. So that's just me.
I'm a bit older than a lot of my friends here and I actually remember when "Thriller" came out. It was nothing less than a national obsession. This country went batshit crazy for Michael Jackson. Ronald Reagan was talking pictures with him, everyone was wearing that red leather jacket from "Beat It". It was Michaelmania!
I was late to the party. Being a straight white boy I had no interest in dance music at all. It just didn't appeal to me. But I was finally won over by Eddie Van Halen's appearance in "Beat It" and got the album. I also remember running home after school with my cousin to watch the "Thriller" video when it debuted. Frankly I thought it was a kinda cool/kinda cheesy rip off of a B horror movie. I still do. Still, Michael Jackson's music was a VERY big part of the cultural landscape when I was growing up.
But I didn't feel like his death was a major shock. Because Michael Jackson really kinda died years ago. I know that there was a person walking around with that name, but he bore no resemblance to a human being whatsoever. Michael Jackson started life as a kid who possessed the eerie ability to act, sing and emote like an adult. He was like a midget James Brown. And ANY band in the world would have wanted that kid in front of their band. If the Stones could have traded Mick Jaggar for 9 year old Michael Jackson, Keith would have taken that trade in a heartbeat. ("Sorry, mate. The kid's fuckin' good!"). But he ended his life as an adult who was tragically childlike. In all the worst ways.
It's not that Michael Jackson became strange. He was ALWAYS strange. He was like an alien who came to the planet. He didn't sound, look, or move like anyone else. He went from being a black boy to an old white woman. He went from being a sweet, shy child to a complete egomaniac who viewed himself with the same self regard as the banana republic military dictators that he dressed like. (the whole "King of Pop" title was something Jackson gave himself. If any tv station wanted to broadcast any of the videos from his "Dangerous" album-back when videos mattered- they HAD to refer to Jackson as "The King of Pop" to do so. For the record Elvis, Elton John, The Beatles, Madonna, and the Stevie Wonder have had more Top 40 hits. Madonna, Elvis and the Beatles have had more Top 10 Hits, and The Beatles and Mariah Carey have had more #1 hits. This is not to diminish Jackson's impact at all. It was clearly huge. But the whole self-coronation always bothered me).
And that's not even bringing up the child molestation charges.
Americans are very often incapable of holding two opposing truths in their minds. Michael Jackson was clearly an incredible talent who commanded an audience like VERY, VERY few people who ever lived. That's beyond question. He also lived a sad, sad life and was often scary as shit. I just find it funny that people need to block out one version or the other.
And Farrah had a clear impact on my puberty. So that's just me.
I'm a bit older than a lot of my friends here and I actually remember when "Thriller" came out. It was nothing less than a national obsession. This country went batshit crazy for Michael Jackson. Ronald Reagan was talking pictures with him, everyone was wearing that red leather jacket from "Beat It". It was Michaelmania!
I was late to the party. Being a straight white boy I had no interest in dance music at all. It just didn't appeal to me. But I was finally won over by Eddie Van Halen's appearance in "Beat It" and got the album. I also remember running home after school with my cousin to watch the "Thriller" video when it debuted. Frankly I thought it was a kinda cool/kinda cheesy rip off of a B horror movie. I still do. Still, Michael Jackson's music was a VERY big part of the cultural landscape when I was growing up.
But I didn't feel like his death was a major shock. Because Michael Jackson really kinda died years ago. I know that there was a person walking around with that name, but he bore no resemblance to a human being whatsoever. Michael Jackson started life as a kid who possessed the eerie ability to act, sing and emote like an adult. He was like a midget James Brown. And ANY band in the world would have wanted that kid in front of their band. If the Stones could have traded Mick Jaggar for 9 year old Michael Jackson, Keith would have taken that trade in a heartbeat. ("Sorry, mate. The kid's fuckin' good!"). But he ended his life as an adult who was tragically childlike. In all the worst ways.
It's not that Michael Jackson became strange. He was ALWAYS strange. He was like an alien who came to the planet. He didn't sound, look, or move like anyone else. He went from being a black boy to an old white woman. He went from being a sweet, shy child to a complete egomaniac who viewed himself with the same self regard as the banana republic military dictators that he dressed like. (the whole "King of Pop" title was something Jackson gave himself. If any tv station wanted to broadcast any of the videos from his "Dangerous" album-back when videos mattered- they HAD to refer to Jackson as "The King of Pop" to do so. For the record Elvis, Elton John, The Beatles, Madonna, and the Stevie Wonder have had more Top 40 hits. Madonna, Elvis and the Beatles have had more Top 10 Hits, and The Beatles and Mariah Carey have had more #1 hits. This is not to diminish Jackson's impact at all. It was clearly huge. But the whole self-coronation always bothered me).
And that's not even bringing up the child molestation charges.
Americans are very often incapable of holding two opposing truths in their minds. Michael Jackson was clearly an incredible talent who commanded an audience like VERY, VERY few people who ever lived. That's beyond question. He also lived a sad, sad life and was often scary as shit. I just find it funny that people need to block out one version or the other.
callioppe:
thank you so much for your sweet words! i appreciate them <3