Michael Jackson, 1958 – 2009

Some people affect everybody.

In the discussion about society’s fixation celebrity gossip, tabloid snooping, and vicarious projections onto fifteen-minutes-of-famers, I tend to fall on the “enough is enough” side. I don’t think cable news outlets should have been devoting hours to Farah Fawcett coverage, beautiful and talented as she may have been. I did not think it was appropriate for an entire country to speculate on a real couple’s divorce, particularly when it was their children that made them famous in the first place. And the only thing that would make me happier than Perez Hilton getting punched in the face would be Perez Hilton never having existed in the first place.

But Michael Jackson…Michael was an anamoly in all sorts of ways.

Yes, in the latter half of his career, a lot of the stories that featured him were the same tired tripe. The man had hit his musical apex and unfortunately all that was left was scandal and gossip.

And yet, today, on the day of his death, there is not one word of the tabloid exploits on my social media feeds. Not one snide comment about his surgeries, his parenting, or Neverland. Everyone who’s talking about it seems to acknowledge that something big has passed away.

That’s because Michael was something bigger than himself.

From childhood, Jackson was able to rivet entire audiences with phenomenal singing and stage presence. At his peak, he was the standard for other artists to aspire to and the inspiration for many modern pop musicians. And I’m sure we can all have our discrepancies on whether he set the best standard, but let’s be honest, few people have an ounce of the star power and production prowess that Michael Jackson did.

Now, every death is tragic, including Farah Fawcett’s and Ed McMahon’s. But Jackson’s is more shocking. Maybe it’s because their careers saw light during a different generation, but to many of us, no matter what antics he got involved with, Michael was a presence that would not go away anytime soon. He was at the top when we were born and he would always have his trademark signature on the music scene. To say Michael Jackson is dead is like saying pop music is dead.

….Though, again, maybe pop music should be euthanized, but I digress…

Whether you care about celebrities or not. Whether or not you liked his music. Today is a very surprising milestone. And we can always remember him for his huge acts of charity, endless energy, and soft-spoken nature.

Rest in peace, Michael Joseph Jackson. Thanks for Thriller. That album was awesome.

In honor of Michael, I proclaim Michael Jackson music night. At any of the parties that you’re throwing or in the background of any work you’re doing, play your favorite MJ or Jackson 5 tracks. “Thriller, Beat It, Billie Jean, ABC, I Want You Back, Black or White, Smooth Criminal” etc. Go for it. Celebrate his legacy.