I was shocked to hear that Farrah passed away this morning (even though most of us have heard and watch her personal struggle with cancer). But I just about dropped on the floor when I had heard that Michael Jackson passed away today in the afternoon. I can remember as a kid dancing to his music, watching the Thriller music video every Halloween, and listening to heartfelt songs such as "Childhood" which he described as his own childhood autobiography in a musical format and "Man in the Mirror" which to this day, I still listen to on my ipod. I don't know if I believe all the rumor that were told about him, such as the skin bleaching, the sexual abuse of kids, mystery illnesses, the drugs, etc. It is so sad that everyone was so quick to assume today that he overdosed on meds, which in the end may be true, but cut the poor man some slack. But one thing was for sure, he struggled throughout his life, dealing with one thing after another, and all he was looking for was some sense of being "normal" and a sence of acceptance. He was a tortured soul. But you can tell, anytime he was around his fans, he felt loved, accepted, and at peace. He was one damn good singer and song writer. No one will ever match his brilliance in the music industry.
I believe that Andrew Sullivan best describes Michael:
"There are two things to say about him. He was a musical genius; and he was an abused child. By abuse, I do not mean sexual abuse; I mean he was used brutally and callously for money, and clearly imprisoned by a tyrannical father. He had no real childhood and spent much of his later life struggling to get one. He was spiritually and psychologically raped at a very early age - and never recovered. Watching him change his race, his age, and almost his gender, you saw a tortured soul seeking what the rest of us take for granted: a normal life.
But he had no compass to find one; no real friends to support and advise him; and money and fame imprisoned him in the delusions of narcissism and self-indulgence. Of course, he bears responsibility for his bizarre life. But the damage done to him by his own family and then by all those motivated more by money and power than by faith and love was irreparable in the end. He died a while ago. He remained for so long a walking human shell.
I loved his music. His young voice was almost a miracle, his poise in retrospect eery, his joy, tempered by pain, often unbearably uplifting. He made the greatest music video of all time; and he made some of the greatest records of all time. He was everything our culture worships; and yet he was obviously desperately unhappy, tortured, afraid and alone.
I grieve for him; but I also grieve for the culture that created and destroyed him. That culture is ours' and it is a lethal and brutal one: with fame and celebrity as its core values, with money as its sole motive, it chewed this child up and spat him out."
I believe that Andrew Sullivan best describes Michael:
"There are two things to say about him. He was a musical genius; and he was an abused child. By abuse, I do not mean sexual abuse; I mean he was used brutally and callously for money, and clearly imprisoned by a tyrannical father. He had no real childhood and spent much of his later life struggling to get one. He was spiritually and psychologically raped at a very early age - and never recovered. Watching him change his race, his age, and almost his gender, you saw a tortured soul seeking what the rest of us take for granted: a normal life.
But he had no compass to find one; no real friends to support and advise him; and money and fame imprisoned him in the delusions of narcissism and self-indulgence. Of course, he bears responsibility for his bizarre life. But the damage done to him by his own family and then by all those motivated more by money and power than by faith and love was irreparable in the end. He died a while ago. He remained for so long a walking human shell.
I loved his music. His young voice was almost a miracle, his poise in retrospect eery, his joy, tempered by pain, often unbearably uplifting. He made the greatest music video of all time; and he made some of the greatest records of all time. He was everything our culture worships; and yet he was obviously desperately unhappy, tortured, afraid and alone.
I grieve for him; but I also grieve for the culture that created and destroyed him. That culture is ours' and it is a lethal and brutal one: with fame and celebrity as its core values, with money as its sole motive, it chewed this child up and spat him out."
May Ed McMahon be introducing Michael Jackson in private performance to Farrah.
It has been a tragic week for the entertainment business. May all rest in peace in heaven.
No comments:
Post a Comment