Michael Jackson has passed as humans do. When I first heard it, from a client last Thursday evening, I had the feeling I always have when someone who was a marker in my life slips away. I felt sad thinking about hearing his songs and what they represented in my life—where I was, who I was with, perhaps even what I was thinking or feeling while one of his tunes played in the background.
I, and most other people, clearly have conflicted feelings about Mr. Jackson. He was African-American but distanced himself far from his people. He made enormous sums of money but was so in debt that he lost his home. Millions loved him but he appeared to be, for most of his life, isolated. He clearly struggled with his identity, converting himself physically and changing not only how he talked but his voice as well. And of course there were the allegations of sex with minors and his admission that sleeping with children was an expression of love. That said, he was an enormous talent. He was incredibly gifted, a one of a kind performer who brought so much joy to so many as long as his music was playing.
Many mourn around the world today and speak in platitudes about his being “the king of pop,” a title he was never granted in his lifetime. The Russians have built a monument to him. The Rev. Al Sharpton demanded a national day of mourning in his honor and tickets to today’s service were being scalped for $1,500 a piece. All for a man who had become, at least in this country, fodder for stand up comedians and a synonym for eccentricity or perversion.
Seeing this behavior makes me very sad. Not because he did not deserve praise but sad because it’s all too late. Many of the people who praise him now were, in a majority of cases, those that mocked him less than ten days ago. What is it in humans that allow this sort duality of thinking? Alive he was a despot and dead he has been granted the title he craved but was not given.
I wish we all could treat each other better.
© David Ezell 2009
All Rights Reserved
I, and most other people, clearly have conflicted feelings about Mr. Jackson. He was African-American but distanced himself far from his people. He made enormous sums of money but was so in debt that he lost his home. Millions loved him but he appeared to be, for most of his life, isolated. He clearly struggled with his identity, converting himself physically and changing not only how he talked but his voice as well. And of course there were the allegations of sex with minors and his admission that sleeping with children was an expression of love. That said, he was an enormous talent. He was incredibly gifted, a one of a kind performer who brought so much joy to so many as long as his music was playing.
Many mourn around the world today and speak in platitudes about his being “the king of pop,” a title he was never granted in his lifetime. The Russians have built a monument to him. The Rev. Al Sharpton demanded a national day of mourning in his honor and tickets to today’s service were being scalped for $1,500 a piece. All for a man who had become, at least in this country, fodder for stand up comedians and a synonym for eccentricity or perversion.
Seeing this behavior makes me very sad. Not because he did not deserve praise but sad because it’s all too late. Many of the people who praise him now were, in a majority of cases, those that mocked him less than ten days ago. What is it in humans that allow this sort duality of thinking? Alive he was a despot and dead he has been granted the title he craved but was not given.
I wish we all could treat each other better.
© David Ezell 2009
All Rights Reserved
i really meant to say that I'd just realized you'd actually written the article yourself. it was well put together, and addressed the major concerns i think most people are feeling, being torn between the different issues surrounding MJ, and how the grief is more consuming than any of the other issues at the moment. I think all people tend to in these moments forget any of the bad things when someone we knew (and loved) passes. i was recently reading about the andrews sisters, and how the two remaining sisters had differences that kept them apart for latter parts of their lives, but when one found out the other had suddenly died, was grief stricken and lost, but in life she had distanced herself. death is powerful, so permanent to our minds. another issue about michael that concerns me is that all of his children were white, well, come on, he is supposed to be the sperm donor father, but none of them remotely resemble being black. all well and good, but it just further confirms your statement about his turning against his own people. and i also often wonder why no one ever really is concerned with his sexuality, the media, gay fans, straight fans??? Both Liberace and Rock Hudson were criticized by gays for not being able to admit that they were, they even denied it until death. and it also confuses me that straight audiences don't even question Micheal's sexuality. How many "gay" artists are so loyally embraced by "straight" audiences. Perhaps they didn't want to know, or verbalize it. It would have to admit accepting "homosexuality". I mean realistically, this is the way it should be(not questioning one, but allowing privacy) but we don't live in a in a society that is without criticism. I'm just saying that i find it odd that MJ was obviously homosexually inclined, and denied it in an interview during the first molestation trial. All of the molestation accusations were homosexual. Yet it was always pretty much ignored. Again, one should be entitled to their privacy, but I don't understand how a "star" of this magnitude was afforded this lack of media and fan criticism. I guess he was just BIGGER than all of that, and worshiped so much that we didn't want to know. ???
ReplyDeleteI guess his life goes to prove that you really can't have it all. with all that he did have and achieve, the fame, fortune, a multitude of fans, money, there was so many of the fundamental things in life that he sorely lacked and longed for, friendship, aninimity, childhood, adulthood, human relationships, etc. The man couldn't even go out in public alone.
Rosebud.
Well put Rosebud. We get one shot and we absolutely cannot have it all.
ReplyDeleteBuilding on that, I think many people try to have a little bit of a lot of things in their lives. Sometimes they succeed but I think many times this practice means they wind up having nothing at all.
Thanks for the comments and for reading!