Michael Jackson: Icon or Beast?
Michael Jackson’s memorial service was yesterday. Like most everybody else, I have been drawn into a couple of conversations about him this week. Nearly everybody recognizes his talent as a dancer, singer and entertainer. Still, there are all of his questionable activities with children. In our country a person is innocent until proved guilty, but that "benefit of the doubt" concept is reserved for the courts. In the arena of personal opinions, there is a lot more room for speculation and suspicion.
The people who love the fallen star, point to his successes. My youngest sister (I have 6 of them) grew up with the now-famous moon walk and the lone white glove. They think he is one of the greatest of all times; right up there with the Beatles and Elvis, but is that really true? Let’s take a look.
According to Billboard 200 He is not in the top 10 in total number of top-ten albums, number of number-one albums, or most weeks on the charts, but the Thriller Album stands proud among the very best of individual albums. Count me among the buyers.
There was only one album that stayed at number one for longer than Thriller (West Side Story holds the record at 57 weeks) which held the top spot for a remarkable 37 weeks. Thriller remained in the top ten for 78 weeks, which is 5th place on the all time list. Both of these accomplishments exceed any single album of the Beatles or Elvis. However, both of those artists exceeded MJ in the previously mentioned categories.
All of this will get revised soon because one week after Michaels death, nearly another million albums have been sold and the number is still climbing.
Given the fact that Elvis started in the 50’s and the Beatles were just a few years behind him we have to admit they have had a big head start on MJ unless you count the cutsie music of the Jackson Five. It is hard to know what the final results will be but there is no doubt when it comes to musical success, Mr. Jackson deserves his props, even if most of his fame comes from just one album.
So Michael the entertainer deserves his respect but what about the other Michael Jackson, the one who has had to hire every attorney west of the Mississippi to stay out of jail?
A little research reveals that Michael paid off the Chandler family somewhere between 10 and 22 million in 1994. Thereafter he settled another case without going to court. In both cases, many people believe that there was misbehavior, but the parents of the alleged victims either wanted the money or they wanted to spare their kids the embarrassment of a full-blown court case.
After that, our star was also charged with four counts of lewd conduct with a child younger than 14; one count of attempted lewd conduct; four counts of administering alcohol to facilitate child molestation; and one count of child abduction. He was found not guilty but he never proved his innocence. There is a big difference. Just ask O.J. Simpson, who was found not guilty in criminal court but held responsible for two deaths in a civil court.
There are plenty of Michael’s loyal followers who grant him the benefit of the doubt. Even the United States Congress had a moment of silence for him, which I found odd. A black leader (Sheila Jackson) pushed for it and nobody else had the backbone to point out the absurdity of that. Are we going to honor all entertainers now? Or just black ones? Or just the ones with a dubious past? Or just the black ones with a dubious past? Where do we draw the line? No such respect was accorded Farrah Fawsett who died the same day as Jacko.
As far as granting Michael the benefit of the doubt, color me very skeptical. I can’t help but think of the time he subjected his own child to unnecessary risk by dangling the youngster over a balcony, several stories above ground. This is not evidence of somebody who has the best interest of children at heart. That reckless disregard for children lends me plenty of doubt about the activities at Neverland where young ones were drawn in by all the glamour and may very well have gotten more than they bargained for. Naturally, I don’t really know what went on between the sheets but there is just too much circumstantial evidence to make me comfortable.
So, given all of the above, Michael has proved he is an icon and we are left to speculate about his dark side, if any.
Regardless of what the truth is, may he rest in peace.
Michael Jackson’s memorial service was yesterday. Like most everybody else, I have been drawn into a couple of conversations about him this week. Nearly everybody recognizes his talent as a dancer, singer and entertainer. Still, there are all of his questionable activities with children. In our country a person is innocent until proved guilty, but that "benefit of the doubt" concept is reserved for the courts. In the arena of personal opinions, there is a lot more room for speculation and suspicion.
The people who love the fallen star, point to his successes. My youngest sister (I have 6 of them) grew up with the now-famous moon walk and the lone white glove. They think he is one of the greatest of all times; right up there with the Beatles and Elvis, but is that really true? Let’s take a look.
According to Billboard 200 He is not in the top 10 in total number of top-ten albums, number of number-one albums, or most weeks on the charts, but the Thriller Album stands proud among the very best of individual albums. Count me among the buyers.
There was only one album that stayed at number one for longer than Thriller (West Side Story holds the record at 57 weeks) which held the top spot for a remarkable 37 weeks. Thriller remained in the top ten for 78 weeks, which is 5th place on the all time list. Both of these accomplishments exceed any single album of the Beatles or Elvis. However, both of those artists exceeded MJ in the previously mentioned categories.
All of this will get revised soon because one week after Michaels death, nearly another million albums have been sold and the number is still climbing.
Given the fact that Elvis started in the 50’s and the Beatles were just a few years behind him we have to admit they have had a big head start on MJ unless you count the cutsie music of the Jackson Five. It is hard to know what the final results will be but there is no doubt when it comes to musical success, Mr. Jackson deserves his props, even if most of his fame comes from just one album.
So Michael the entertainer deserves his respect but what about the other Michael Jackson, the one who has had to hire every attorney west of the Mississippi to stay out of jail?
A little research reveals that Michael paid off the Chandler family somewhere between 10 and 22 million in 1994. Thereafter he settled another case without going to court. In both cases, many people believe that there was misbehavior, but the parents of the alleged victims either wanted the money or they wanted to spare their kids the embarrassment of a full-blown court case.
After that, our star was also charged with four counts of lewd conduct with a child younger than 14; one count of attempted lewd conduct; four counts of administering alcohol to facilitate child molestation; and one count of child abduction. He was found not guilty but he never proved his innocence. There is a big difference. Just ask O.J. Simpson, who was found not guilty in criminal court but held responsible for two deaths in a civil court.
There are plenty of Michael’s loyal followers who grant him the benefit of the doubt. Even the United States Congress had a moment of silence for him, which I found odd. A black leader (Sheila Jackson) pushed for it and nobody else had the backbone to point out the absurdity of that. Are we going to honor all entertainers now? Or just black ones? Or just the ones with a dubious past? Or just the black ones with a dubious past? Where do we draw the line? No such respect was accorded Farrah Fawsett who died the same day as Jacko.
As far as granting Michael the benefit of the doubt, color me very skeptical. I can’t help but think of the time he subjected his own child to unnecessary risk by dangling the youngster over a balcony, several stories above ground. This is not evidence of somebody who has the best interest of children at heart. That reckless disregard for children lends me plenty of doubt about the activities at Neverland where young ones were drawn in by all the glamour and may very well have gotten more than they bargained for. Naturally, I don’t really know what went on between the sheets but there is just too much circumstantial evidence to make me comfortable.
So, given all of the above, Michael has proved he is an icon and we are left to speculate about his dark side, if any.
Regardless of what the truth is, may he rest in peace.
1 comment:
". . . may he rest in peace" is the advice I'll follow.
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