MANILA, Philippines — It’s been a week since Michael Jackson died, but news and rumors about him and his untimely demise at only 50 continue to hug the headlines. Why the unprecedented news value?
First and foremost, there’s his awesome talent. Ever since he sang “Ben” as a tyke with his beautifully clear voice, he’s captured the hearts of millions, who now mourn his loss with uncommon empathy.
Michael was also great at periodically reinventing himself, and that kept his appeal fresh and exciting for successive generations of fans. From boy singer to teen fave to “Thriller” threat to great Moonwalking dancing dervish, to film musical star—Jackson’s seemingly endless variety thrilled millions for decades on end.
Grateful
His versatility enabled him to break down barriers that kept many black American entertainers from getting into the mainstream. Many black performers are now benefiting from the inroads he made, so they’re expectedly grateful and thus mourn his passing with special unction.
Also adding to Michael’s “ageless” appeal is the fact that, in the eyes of many, he’s Peter Pan incarnate, the eternal boy who was so afraid to grow up that he tried to remain a kid forever.
This unique persona turned out to be both a blessing and a curse. It blessed him with endlessly fascinating youth and innocence that kept his appeal, especially to his young fans, ever fresh and new. But, it also cursed him with the supreme irony of his eventually being villified by millions when it was revealed that, in his incarnation, Peter Pan could have been a pedophile.
Revelations
This gave the fairy tale a rancid aftertaste—and adds a second major factor that helps explain why the tragic tale of Michael Jackson’s life and death continues to rate huge headlines to this day: The story has its decidedly seamy and even smelly side, with new rumors and revelations unfolding every day—the addiction to prescription medication, the huge debt, the still unresolved custody battle over his children—etc. Scandal not only feeds on itself, but also profitably fuels the world’s hungry media, which appear to need a fresh Michael fix every 12 hours or so.
Trouble is, all of these less than sterling revelations have ended up depleting the late star’s capital of good will, achievement and talent. Thus, Michael’s fans have their work cut out for them to keep their focus on his valuable contributions to the world of music, despite the constant barrage of seemingly endless negative revelations.
SRO shows
Most poignantly, Jackson died just before he was to experience his latest artistic apotheosis, with the imminent start of his 50 SRO shows in London. The concert series would not just have wiped away his debts but also taken his mystique to another, higher level, proving to everyone that he was still the unchallenged King of Pop. How shockingly ironic, therefore, that his mortal end came just before that long-awaited apotheosis.
But, ironic twists and sad surprises are part of the show biz course, so we need to roll with the punches and focus instead on the significance of Jackson’s contributions to the field of entertainment—even as hints of more controversies and scandals threaten to further discombobulate his fans in the days and weeks to come.
