Michael Jackson's memorial today. He was a national treasure, an icon, and a goddamned pedophile.
I know I keep saying it, but it's so strange that it's been so overlooked by the media; the ones that profited most from Michael Jackson's existence. From his hair catching on fire in the 80s to the molestation trial in 2005, any agency with a news department made a lot of money off of the antics of MJ.
I'm torn... despite my past blogs (see THESE) I do see Jackson as an amazing talent. His music wasn't really my taste, but I appreciate well performed music of any genre, really. Even country music. There aren't any child molestors in country music, because I'm sure that a lot of country singers were molested themselves as children. The Back Woods are a real motherfucker.
I see Michael Jackson as a monster. Albeit, a monster that could fucking dance. I have childhood memories of sitting in the library of one of the grade schools that I went to, all of us gathered around a 20" television watching a Betamax recording of the Motown anniversary where MJ debuted the moonwalk. Jesus... Michael Jackson could defy the laws of gravity!
...and later the laws of the State of California. Michael Jackson will leave behind a legacy of great entertainment and furthering the public notion that celebrity justice is very different than normal people justice. If Jesus Juice was served in an Airstream trailer as opposed to the Neverland Ranch, you'd have had twelve counts of "guilty."
But today, as some 9000 lucky fans get to the Staples center to attend the MJ memorial, I think it's okay to simply remember Jackson as an entertainer. I'm not saying that writing Thriller should excuse any of the shit he did behind closed doors (read: molesting kids). I'm saying that as a society, we need pop stars.
We need people who are stars based on real goddamned talent. What do we have now for entertainment? Pirated CDs and a bunch of reality shows? This is bullshit. This country is starved for entertainment. Real entertainment. We went from the moonwalk in 1983 to "Dancing with the Stars" today. We used to watch real talent and not somehow settle for normal people trying to dance or sing. There's a place for variety and talent shows, just not as many as there are in existence today.
Michael Jackson should have lived his life locked in a dance studio, taken out to a yard for an hour a day, and only let out when a performance needed to happen:
"We need a performance of Man in the Mirror at the VMAs"
"Okay, I'll ready the Con-Air plane and the Hannibal Lector face mask hand truck"
That was the answer, lock MJ up and wheel/armored plane him to where he needs to be. Ten guys with tranquilizer guns on either side of the stage, should MJ try to escape or jump into the seats to get a few dry humps on a middle schooler. MJ was a powerful force, we just didn't know how to contain him.
I'm looking at the Man in the Mirror. He needs a shave and to get rid of the bags under his eyes.
Jam on... indeed.
Gooch:Out
