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Sunday, June 28, 2009

MJ. Super Nova Star

Michael Jackson
The King of Pop is Dead
Long Live the King!

Topic “A” this week is not the hundreds of people being blown to bits in Afganistán and Iraq, nor is it the many local conflicts in Africa or the millions of starving people around the world who are dying from malnutrition and other illnesses. It’s not even Silvio Berlosconi’s alleged scandals, or the matter of toxic assets. Lost jobs, lost homes, lost businesses, lost futures, lost educations have all been relegated to Topic “B”.

Topic “A” is simply one thing, The Death, the untimely and unexpected death of Michael Jackson. For the media Christmas came early. Editors everywhere worth their salt greeted the news of this event with one word: “WOW!” All vacations have been suspended, and staffs have been called in to work overtime. This is BIG!

MJ’s brother struggled to make an announcement that he ended with a plea to the media to please respect the family’s privacy. He certainly wasn’t trying to be funny, but I was amused because the one thing that the media won’t do is that.

MJ was 50 at the time of his sudden and untimely death. In the words of one of his own songs, he was taken away from us “Too Soon.” Now, we who write have been left with the almost impossible task of choosing something to say about him. There is simply so much material available, so I will begin by saying that I have been thoroughly entertained, or horrified by MJ, but never bored.

Love him or hate him, the one thing that is incontestable is that the world has seldom seen such pure and unfettered talent. In looking at videos of his performances with a critical eye we see moves so fluid and hear sounds so original that place him in the state of being a pioneer. Many people have tried to emulate him, but always they come up short. The original is the original and stands alone.

Here my mind begins to go off in separate directions all at once and that tells me to make a very long story as short as possible. I would need to write several books to capture the complete essence of the man because he was so many personalities.

I must say that I was as shocked and surprised as the rest of the world over his sudden passing. However, try as hard as I can I cannot see MJ as a grandfather. I should not be surprised. In the galaxy of stars it is the Super Nova that shines the brightest, but its life is short lived. It explodes with its coming, burns the brightest during its existence, and then its gone in a flash. I think this is an adequate description of MJ. Long after he’s physically left us he will be talked about and revered. In reality his physical presence here on earth was pre-determined to be short.

Now that he has taken his bow and left the building I would like to add my voice to the growing chorus that says: “ MJ, thanks so much for the superb entertainment and the memories. You provided my own life with such a rich soundtrack, and I choose to remember you fondly.”

His greatest performance could be yet to come on the occasion of his funeral. Strictly speaking it should be a private affair, but the Jackson family may decide to open it up to the public, who after all are as much his family. In any event, somehow I think this will be the funeral of the century.
This will be something to see. In MJ’s own words, “This is IT!”

Copyright © 2009 Eugene Carmichael