The Tragic Death of Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson was a musical genius, a pop icon, a humanitarian and an inspiration to many an up and coming artists, but he was also a very troubled human being whose eccentricities and obsession with plastic surgery and little boys made him a subject of ridicule and revulsion. This yin and yang of his persona made him at once beloved by his fans and reviled by those who saw him as a pretentious and possibly dangerous lunatic.

He started his career as a child in the late 60's as lead singer for his family's band, The Jackson Five. In the 70's he went solo and became a protégé of Quincy Jones. His popularity peaked in the 80's with the release of "Thriller" and "Bad" and his incredibly choreographed videos and tours. It was also during this period that he co-wrote "We Are the World" with Lionel Richie, performed by USA for Africa, a group of 45 popular musicians of the time and produced by Quincy Jones to raise money for African charities.

Like most child stars whose controlling parents force them to sacrifice their childhoods in order to fill the family coffers, Michael postponed his childhood until he was an adult and could indulge his every whim. And he did so with a vengeance.

In the mid 80's he started reshaping his face; first a nose job, then another, then permanent eyeliner, cheek bones, a new chin, and skin that kept getting paler and paler. In 1991 the joke was that he was really his sister La Toya.

In 1988 he moved into Neverland Ranch, which boasted a movie theater, an amusement park and a zoo. It was there that he hosted parties and sleepovers for young children; innocent fun until in 1993 he was charged with molesting a13 year old boy. The charge was settled out of court a year later.

But despite his transvestite appearance and the alleged pedophilia Michael was not going to be painted with the homosexual brush. In 1994 he married Lisa Marie Presley (another acquisition?) and they divorced in 1996. Jackson then married Debbie Rowe, who was pregnant at the time with their son, Prince Michael. They had another child, daughter Paris, and divorced in 1999. In 2002, his second son, Prince Michael II aka "Blanket" was born by a surrogate mother.

Things got worse for Jackson in the 2000's; a dispute with Sony Records, another molestation charge, financial set backs and the loss of Neverland. It has been reported that Jackson became addicted to Morphine and Demerol during this time, not surprising considering his life and career seemed to be going down the toilet.

Personally, I loved the Michael Jackson of the 80's. "Thriller", "Beat It", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", great get up and dance around the house music, but it was "Man in the Mirror" from the "Bad" album that is particularly meaningful for me. I know the song is ostensibly about taking responsibility for making the changes we want to see in the world, but when it came out, I was trying to quit a cocaine habit and starting a new life in a new place, so I took it to mean taking responsibility for who I am, and what I wanted to be.

I was at work when I heard that Michael Jackson had died, and my first thoughts were that he couldn't take the pressure of his upcoming "comeback" tour and had committed suicide. Too bad, so sad, gotta get back to work. But later that evening, when I was listening to a tribute on the radio and the song "Man in the Mirror" came on I was suddenly overcome with sadness. What a shame that he couldn't seem to get past his demons and come to grips with who he was, that his incredible talents were not enough for him. How sad that he felt the need to isolate himself from reality when so many people looked up to him as a mentor. So adored and yet so alone. Tragic.

So I suggest that if you are a Michael Jackson fan, and are morning his loss, by all means go to the vigils, cry with your friends, but also do something positive to make a change in the world. Make a donation to one of the many children's organizations he supported during his life (see list at http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/charities.html). Michael, I'm sure, would be proud.