A recent headline in the Daily News self-righteously trumpets "Bloodsuckers positioning themselves to exploit Michael Jackson's tragic death".
And... what, exactly, is the Daily News doing?
I think it's truly silly to complain now about all the publicity surrounding this freak. After all, Jackson thrived on it for all of his life. Oh it's true that he, like many celebrities, dramatically complained about the adulation that he received. But with that adulation came money.
If, as the Bible says, the love of money is the root of all evil, it's pretty apparent that Jackson was willing to put up with some evil for the money that he adored. Jackson slung around money like a flower girl slings rose petals at a wedding.
If Jackson was truly a shy, retiring flower, he never would have dangled his youngest child out of the hotel window to show him off the the adoring crowds below. In the ultimate act of egotistical arrogance, he named his sons Prince Michael I and II. And as everyone knows, wearing masks in public will never draw attention. No, never.
Jackson was a male version of Madonna. Until his molestation trial, he had truly never met a piece of publicity he didn't like, despite what he claimed. If he had wanted to live a quiet life, he certainly could have. Excesses such as Neverland and his ongoing plastic surgeries and skin bleaching were bound to create talk, and he knew it. The trumpeted musical genius was hardly stupid.
Jackson became the Elephant Man he adulated. And just as we continue to refer to the Elephant Man today, we will also continue to refer to Michael Jackson as a symbol of an unpleasant yet talented freak. He will continue to be the three ring circus he was in life. Death will not stop the process, nor would he want it to.
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6 comments:
Though Jackson did try to buy the remains of the Elephant Man, he was unsuccessful and never did own them. That is just another one of those urban myths.
Other than that, the rest of your piece was right on the money about Jackson thriving off publicity. I'm guessing this whole ordeal will be in the news for a long long time unless something bigger comes along. It makes hearing bad news our of the middleeast or asian rim seem almost refreshing these days.
Will the dig up James Brown and evict him from the golden casket he was displayed in?
King trumps Godfather.
And he never dropped the kid. Dangled yes, dropped no.
The media knows this is the last stand. There is no more MJ to kick around. So they have to make the final media circus a really big one - for there will be no more.
If famous people would stop kicking the bucket already (what have there been? 5 of them at this point??) maybe real news will return to the TV. But do not count on that.
Interesting that both Amazon and Borders announced that every Jackson item, musical, written, or picture that they had in stock by midnight last night. It appears that, like Elvis and Sinatra, Jackson's estate will make more money (MUCH MORE) than he ever could have made in his lifetime. ( I wonder if someone could pick up a buck or two hawking Billy Mayes merchandise.)
Sorry I left out the words indicating that this merchandise was sold out by Midnight. When you are old you can leave out almost anything.
Ed, Thanks for the correction! I've modified the post accordingly.
Lazy,, I agree that Brown trumps him. I never said MJ dropped the kid - but what an idiot to dangle him out the window!
Now we have Billy Mays. And I forgot David Carradine died recently, too. So the list is:
David Carradine
Ed McMahon
Farrah Fawcett
Michael Jackson
Billy Mays
It's been a star-studded week-and-a-half!
3 Score & 10, Oh no doubt Jackson was talented. I loved much of his music and remember being enthralled with his moonwalk and dancing routines. Too bad he was so scuzzy. He is reputed to be $500 million in debt, as well! How is that POSSIBLE?!
I truly believe that MJ has been exploited for his entire life. He was a child star who was abused by his Father, he never grew up and always made very large mistakes. His relationship with the media has always been an uneasy one and there is no doubt that the media as well as his family are dying to exploit the man even in his death.
They say he is in debt, but that is just on paper. Were his estate to be liquidated he will be worth incredible amounts of money. Just look at the fact that he owns much of the rights to The Beatles back catalogue plus his own music. There will be money to be made for generations to come.
Back to my point though, he is a tragic figure. The media made him the King of Pop and he made himself into the sad punchline that he ended up as.
Sad in life, sad in death.
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