Michael Jackson

The death of Michael Jackson is a repeat of Elvis in a very scary way. Michael never did Vegas but the meteoric rise rapid burn and late stage bizarre behavior is an echo of Elvis. At both their ends Michael and Elvis were shadows of their former selves, victims of their own excesses.

I do fear what happens next in the story of Micheal Jackson. He was not allowed to have a normal childhood, adolescence, nor adulthood. He will not be allowed an ordinary death. He was both a great performer and a profoundly damaged personality. After the initial wave of sympathy the long knifes will come out. I’m afraid Micheal will not be allowed to rest easy. The vultures are already circling.

I just have a very bad feeling about how this will play out. We are remembering the man who sung “Billy Jean,” “Beat it,” “Thriller,” and so on. We are remembering the man who moon-walked into our heart. We are forgetting the man who twice got into deep kimchee for possibly molesting underage boys. Once he had to pay hush money, the other time he had to face criminal charges. I do feel an overwhelming sadness for the man who was Micheal Jackson mainly because I have a gut feeling that his life story is a Shakespearean tragedy. I have a gut feeling that his memory is going to be torn to shreds.