Live by the media, Die by the Media: Michael Jackson

The King of Pop left us his 40year legacy on the 25th June 2009, one month before his scheduled curtain call. Needless to say, this was a man was the starting point for most stars in the limelight today. As the first black man welcomed to break the rules on the MTV screens in the early years of the 80's, Michael Jackson is THE entertainer. But let’s get controversial... He may have been a child without a childhood and a man trying to reject adulthood, but is he excused because he is... you know... Michael Jackson, or is it emphasised?

His talent was his drive, but was it put to ride in the back seat by his personal life? Since his embryo stage in the Jackson Five, his life has been an open book for anybody with eyes to read. From tales of his father abusing him and keeping him on an 'all work, no play' schedule, to his own relations with children.
Yes, he was in the limelight, and people watched him from all over the world, watched him grow from Michael Jackson, to Wacko Jacko.

Speculations arose from every angle, about the changes faces of Michael Jackson, those of which he referred to as a 'skin condition'.

Being 21, I was brought up in the BAD era! My brother showing me how he could do the moonwalk, and attempting to do the lean! So it would only be bias for me to assume that this was his peak period. Looking at the younger generation of my family, for example, my younger cousin missed out just because he couldn't sleep if he saw his face. See now, this is a real shame- he's twelve and he never lived the Michael Jackson experience. He sees him as freakshow, after all, that is what the media had intended.

No influence by his music, but polluted by the propaganda surrounding his personal life.

In 2001, he performed with Nsync at the VMA's, however he was not even able to finish his performance due to 'health problems' which is said to be due to his liking of Oxycontin.

Now, almost a decade later, he agreed to do ten shows in the 02 Arena in London.

Media and audiences speculations meant that he had a lot to prove when it comes to his performance skills. This being the pressure of the media in full effect. Yet he agrees to a further 40shows, totalling to 50 tour dates in the UK. The equivalent to 3shows a week.


Going back to the generation gap- when these dates were being announced by Michael himself, I did ask my brother, twelve years my senior, if he would go- but surprisingly, he said he would rather remember Michael the way he was rather than with him and his “baggage”.Therefore proving my point, his personal life over shone his career. Unfortunately, they will not even allow the legend to rest in peace. The child molestation allegation charges have proven to be better late than never, according to this statement by Jordan Chandler, who apparently did it for the glory of the story.

Ok, yes- it is to be expected that once the camera hits you, you're on it until the last flash, but there was not one aspect of his life left to himself. For example, the 'baby hanging fiasco' attracted mass media and unprompted views on him being a stable human, especially since his outward array of flamboyant clothes and strategic make up was a sight for comic grotesque.
The latest issue being the settlement over his will, in which his father, Joe Jackson was not included (who by the way seems to be more focused on his own music empire! Hey- everybody grieves differently I guess). And secondly, the allegations surrounding his doctor, Dr Conrad Murray, who was present when the superstar collapsed at his rented mansion, who, according to news today, will not be present at the funeral. Reasons for this are yet to be disclosed. Questions are said to be coming from the Jackson family themselves asking for detail information about the event.

My first question would be why he was there in the first place, and what exactly MJ was doing at the time, and why it took the security guard 50 MINUTES to make the crucial 911 call- To further this, why did he not disclosed who the person in need was? Does this article not show that if he had said the person in need was none other than Michael Jackson, the emergency services would have got there sooner?

But even more unsurprisingly, today also sees that Michael Jackson indeed does take his fans with him anywhere he does, as fan take their own lives.
Gary Taylor, president and owner of MJJcommunity.com, said he understood the tragedies had mostly taken place outside of the UK and he believes one may have been a British citizen.

“I know there has been an increase; I now believe the figure is 12. I believe there may have been one Briton who has taken their life,” he said. “It is a serious situation that these people are going through but Michael Jackson would never want this. He would want them to live.”

Reverend Jessie Jackson, Civil Rights Guru and friend of the singer, has recorded message urging fans not to “self destruct”.




This was only a matter of time...

Bring on the on the tribute songs, and the covers.

For now, I leave you to remember him, before HIStory.


© SIMONE BYER, 2009