It Happens in Threes...

I was saddened by Ed McMahon's death earlier this week, and would have written about it -- except that I don't have any great personal anecdotes about Ed, despite the fact that I once worked at the production company that did StarSearch... AND saw him daily when I worked at the Tonight Show. He was the same jovial person you saw every night, offering cheery greetings each afternoon as he passed my desk to go to his office. That's pretty much the extent of my memories of him.

The news of Farrah Fawcett's death was disheartening - but not unexpected. I might have more to say if I'd been a teenage boy in 1976, instead of a 20-year-old feminist college student.

But the news that Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest this afternoon... now, THAT's something I need to talk about. After all, we grew up together. Well, not "together" -- I never met Michael, although the Jackson family lived in a compound here in the Valley -- a friend of my sister went to middle school with him and was his math tutor.

But forty years ago, when the Jackson 5 burst on the scene, I was 13 and Michael was 11 -- and like everyone else in the country, I watched him grow up. It's hard to believe now that the media portrayed the Jackson 5 and that other group of singing brothers - the Osmonds - as equals vying for the hearts of American teenyboppers. I mean, in a battle of the bands, would you pick "One Bad Apple" over "I Want You Back"? (Or "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There"?)

And then, there was Michael's transformation from teen idol to adult superstar. It began with "Off the Wall," his first collaboration with Quincy Jones -- and went into hyperdrive three years later, with the release of "Thriller." That record is understandably considered a classic - but those of you who are not in your 50's may not realize exactly how revolutionary it was.

I was working in the music industry then, and MTV had only just launched as a kind of video radio channel (it truly was MUSIC television then, playing nothing but videos interspersed with music news delivered by cute, mostly young hosts dubbed "vee-jays"). But there were a lot of gripes that they didn't play any music by artists of color... UNTIL Michael Jackson delivered a one-two punch with "Billie Jean" and "Beat It." Never mind how great the songs were -- the accompanying videos were mind-blowing. I don't know if MTV's racial barrier was deliberate or not, but here was something they could not ignore. Michael Jackson became the first African-American on MTV, and the rest is history.

He cemented his standing with the outrageously budgeted video for "Thriller," directed by John Landis at a cost of $1 million. And then - his legendary appearance on the NBC-TV television special commemorating the 25th anniversary of Motown records, when he performed his famous one-gloved moonwalk.

I thought of him as a tragic figure in his later years. Do I believe the allegations of child molestation? Yes. But I also believe what Michael said years ago about being abused himself as a child. His was not a normal childhood. I am more surprised when child stars grow up to be well-adjusted and normal.

I'm looking forward to the inevitable video retrospectives that will air on the news tonight. I want my daughter to see Michael as I saw him years ago, before the weird behavior, the plastic surgery, the aura of creepiness. That is how I want to remember him.

Michael Jackson, R.I.P.

Comments

[karen s.]

I'm not 50, but getting close...and I remember it all. MJ provided the soundtrack to my youth and college years. And despite his latter-day strangeness, I find myself unexpectedly tearing up repeatedly as I contemplate his death. So many distinct memories associated with his (and the Jacson 5's) songs....With each song comes a memory: I feel like my youth is passing before my eyes. I think we're mourning for more than MJ....but for the passing everything that we associate with him in our lives....

[CarlyTheStarr]

I finally created a password so I could comment on your blog... I've also been told that MJ was really the 4th death, if you count David Carradine. I think, though, that was too long ago to count for the deaths in threes thing...

But it is amazing the generational difference in how people are reacting to his death. For example in my office, my co-workers who are 45+ are devastated and playing the radio with Michael Jackson songs at their desk. Those of us under 25 are much more distantly sad about such a famous person dying.

[oneseeker2]

I always thought of M Jackson as a genius. No one in my opinion could out do him with his music, his talent, his dancing. Well, except for Madonna of course. They both were equals in my eyes. The rare exciting performers/genius. Waiting to see what would be done next in the talent/music industry. I never thought of M Jackson as odd, strange, or creepy! Of course it was obvious he had gone way to far with plastic surgery! Oh the days he was sooooo cute or handsome, and then way to to much was done! Can't go back to cute or handsome after all that plastic.

Of course my support for Jackson changed after he admitted to sleeping with young boys. No he never once admitted to having sex, and I was not certain that he did, or didn't. Personally I had issue that he thought at his age it was okay to share a bed with a young male, that he stated in so many words sharing a bed with a young boy was love.

I questioned his continued behavior. The first allegations would have way to stressful for me to handle. Whether it was true or not. I mean the stress of a false accusation would have been enough!

Lots of ppl go through great suffering in childhood. Millions. Jackson had the money and was offered help by Chopra himself. What an opportunity for him! To heal!

Shows us all how strong addiction it, and that mostly it leads to death. Takes the soul of the very person, and then their life.

Jackson had a tragic childhood, it is said, so did The Boy Called It, children molested by parents, brothers, sisters, neighbors, friends. Abused and Neglected in the worst cases happen in childhood!

Jackson had the money to seek help from the appropriate resources once he came into money. A beautiful home and toys do not satisfy the injured child. Only therapy and that takes time, lots of time.

In all appear, he appeared to be loved and respected by Taylor and other Hollywood celebrites, close friends. Did anyone ever guide him in the direction of therapy. Dunno.

jackson's death is tragic, like all deaths, Fawette's death just as tragic. No more no less tragic of the deaths of my loved ones. They were just not Hollywood.

Dr's mistakes of saying pnuemonia when it was really congestive heart failure, another from lung cancer spread from forehead through all organs, even heart and bones, but the chest xray showed up fine with the first shortness of breath a year prior. Condensed cancer does that, no one thought of a mri.

All sentient beings suffer, some more tragic than others. Love and show respect to your own, support and guide them when they suffer! And hope/pray the M Jacksons of the world, their family will love support and guide them.

Acceptance is love.