Michael Jackson

[Darth Avlectus]

Well, I have mixed thoughts about him. Got the news over the raidio as it was breaking today and still an unconfirmed rumor. Fam was supposedly still on its way.

 

Sorry to hear that. --Was kind of preoccupied before with some stabbing down the road from my uncle's house while I was there. On top of that a speeding ticket hours before. Today has been a pretty sucky day for me.

 

Now this? I cannot say. I liked some of his tracks. Did not care for his excessive plastic surgery or his lifestyle. Not sure how he was really like. Tragic, though. This is essentially the life of being a star as a child. How it ends.

 

You can't really say anything about even music today without his name at least once coming up. Liked some of it a little bit. I'm not sure how I feel about him now, but had this been the MJ we had known before his weirding out...I know I'd be a lot more bummed about it.

 

Either way, blessings and strength be with the family.

 

The world will miss him one way or another.

[adamqd]

Very Sad time for his family and fans

 

Michael has been dogged by ill mental health bad press and controversy... As Jae said, I too grew up through the whole of the 80's and MJ's Music and accomplishments were a massive part of that decade and shaped popular music to this day.

 

I'm not a fan of anything after the Bad album, so I'll be reminiscing about the Jackson five, my childhood, the off the wall, Thriller and Bad Albums.

 

Rest In Peace Michael.

 

1958-2009

[Darth_Yuthura]

Alright, let's respect the dead and leave him be... out of the media that is.

[Drunkside]

I think he doesnt mind being dead.. he was always hunted by the media and all that. and liek was already said, he had already been dying for a while. He was an ass of a human, but yeah, he had a huge impact on pop music (which i dont myself like). Though i dont think he was actually such a pervert he was made into, it was probably partially the fault of the media. Soo... whatever here goes: RIP MJ, dont come back as a zombie as in the thriller video....

[Darth_Yuthura]

He was such a media freak. I just wanted him to be somewhere else, not dead exactly, but out of the public's gaze. Why did this guy squander everything he made for himself and let it all go into ruin? He didn't simply let himself fade into the mists of history, but made himself into a laughingstock long before his end came.

[Ghost Down]

Michael was a great man and will surely be missed by many of us.

 

May he rest in peace.

[True_Avery]

He was such a media freak. I just wanted him to be somewhere else, not dead exactly, but out of the public's gaze. Why did this guy squander everything he made for himself and let it all go into ruin? He didn't simply let himself fade into the mists of history, but made himself into a laughingstock long before his end came.

My dad has a saying "Everybody wants to be rich, but only an idiot wants to be famous"

 

With his surgery, possible pedophilia, and so on it is quite evident that he had some problems. This may have stemmed from the fact that he was a famous kid, and as we've all seen... kids who grow up with the camera constantly on them can have some **** happen to them. Seeing as this happens with so many people, I think we can go back to that "drunk with power" saying, in which people just drink themselves in and do some stupid stuff. However, they do not aim the cameras. It is the media's job to keep the cameras on him, and they do this because of us.

 

Fade away into the mist? I think you have a small misunderstanding of how being famous works. You do not make yourself famous; the media chooses this, and in which light you will be shown. Depending on the ratings, they will choose the light that gets the most readers. Get their ratings up.

 

He was a laughing stock because we like to pick on those that are different, and Jackson was a blaring example of someone who was out of the norm. Camera's on him his entire life, either starting or helping along his own mental conditions along with his own actual diseases (like how his skin went from black to white http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitiligo) plaguing and hurting him till his death.

 

Yes, he caught public eye with the pedophilia allegations (which are still questionable to this day in my opinion, as he was an odd guy but this would not be the only time this happened for a quick cash-in by some greedy parents). That is bound to get people interested, and there is little that the US gobbles up more than celebrity court cases. He either doomed himself, or was doomed by others at that point.

 

And, again, what do you mean by not fading away into the mist? As I recall, the guy has been trying his damnedest to keep public eye off of himself for years. Maybe I have not been paying much attention to him, but isn't that sort of the point? I mean, other than the band reunion thing when was the last time you heard something about Michael other than some passing pedophile joke?

 

The media makes people out to who they are, and how we perceive them. The Media answers directly to those that listen to them, because they want ratings.

 

I pity him because he couldn't catch a break, like most celebrities. The mainstream populous loves to call the famous a bunch of picture happy brats, and though there are those that prove the stereotype it is not often a pretty picture. Think they enjoy having virtually no privacy at all, not even in their own homes? Rich is fun, known isn't bad, but famous is a disease you can't get rid of.

 

Jackson was a possible victim in the last years to his own actions if he really was a pedophile. If not, then I pity him even more. He, like most child and early life stars, eventually became a villain as do most celebrities do when the media is looking for a good viewer rating.

 

The guy was a possible pedophile, suffered from depression, no longer had privacy and couldn't be left alone no matter how hard he tried. Yes, I am painting him as a victim, probably more than he deserves, but saying this was entirely his fault is not only disrespectful, but unfair.

 

I'll probably get some "Avery is defending the rich" comment for this, but to me the word "Famous" is, and always has been a negative word even though the mainstream public seems to associate it with something fantastical and amazing.

 

(Try not to take this as an inflammatory post; it is not meant to be.)

[vanir]

I don't believe in the Court of Public Opinion so I always felt sorry for him in the first place, but back when he was a pop legend he wasn't even a blip on my radar.

There are some celebrities I would genuinely mourn, so I fully appreciate individual sentiments about his death. RIP:MJ for their behalf, never knew the feller myself. Get more torn up by things like poverty in Africa (and do highly respect some effort MJ gave to this cause).

[Tobias Reiper]

This guy is an attention whore even after dying.

 

R.I.P

 

No.

Just... NO.

The Media dogged the man for years, to the point where EVERYONE knew him, against Michael's will I presume, he is NOT an attention whore, but instead, it is that the media are DOUCHEBAGS, carving his picture into peoples minds as a sick pedophile, when he's not.

Besides, it seems you don't know the differeince between 'attention whoring' and 'grieving'.

[JediAthos]

@DY: I've got to agree with Avery on this one. Michael was in the public eye because he was constantly dogged, as many celebs today are, by cameraman, photographers, and reporters. I'm sure if he would have had his way, he would not have been in the public eye nearly as much. Granted, he did some stupid things, and granted there were allegations against him which I consider bull really, but that's my opinion, but Michael was not out to draw attention to himself in any way.

 

In case some people haven't noticed, the man and his music are still hugely popular not only here in the United States, but even more so in Japan, England, and the rest of Europe. Michael was a trend setter for the music industry, and he influenced so many artists that would not exist today had it not been for the things he did and the music he made.

 

At any rate, I think if there is going to be a debate about him the discussion should be taken elsewhere. I'm pretty sure that was not Jae's intention when she created this thread.

[Ztalker]

Like someone on another forum said:

 

The man used to be extremely rich. He could've gone to Thailand or some other child-molester paradise.

 

I've seen to many attention-whore families trying to sue someone for the money to believe these accusations.

Of course the man had mental problems. But if you're hounded by the media from the age of 4 (seriously, that's when he started singing)...

 

Hope he rest in peace, something he hasn't had in 50 years.

 

On a side note: Heavy Catholic Dutch newspaper declares a demon has finally gone. The irony....

[TSR]

I It would be like the current music scene being without Brittney Spears (no matter what you might think about her).

 

No. Just no. BS isn't even a blip on the radar in comparison to MJ.

 

 

I'm just dismayed at all the people that like to believe what i would call "The Sun" perspective of the guy.

 

RIP MJ.

 

Like someone on another forum said:

 

The man used to be extremely rich. He could've gone to Thailand or some other child-molester paradise.

 

The guy almost bankrupted himself donating money to charities and terminally ill children.

[Aash Li]

WTF?! It seems so many celebrities are dying, or are nearing death in recent weeks. Very very gloomy.

 

This is quite common actually. For some bizarre reason, celebrities always die in threes. Always. Sometimes they are a week apart, but if you look in the past they always croak in trios.

 

Dunno why, but it is fascinating.

 

Unfortunate, I guess, but the Michael I would have been sorry for was washed away a long, long time ago. This was just the final nail.

 

I'll pity him more than anything else.

 

I agree with this. MJ I think started going down hill when nothing else he produced went ultra-big as Thriller did. The MJ me and Avery knew and apparently liked, died years ago. What we had that died was just a pathetic shell.

[igyman]

I'd say this time it's a quartet. Or did we all forget about Carradine?

[TSR]

The MJ me and Avery knew and apparently liked, died years ago. What we had that died was just a pathetic shell.

 

before Avery was even born...?

[Aash Li]

So? There lots of celebrities that I liked that were dead before I was even born. That doesnt mean I cant like them.

 

I'd say this time it's a quartet. Or did we all forget about Carradine?

 

Hmm.. you are correct. That is odd. Im not sure what the rules are with this "always in threes" business though. I just know that teh saying is that celebs always drop in threes.

[Bimmerman]

RIP, Michael.

 

I was never that big of a fan of his, but I do recognize the great influence he has had on music for the past 4 decades. Guy is a legend.

 

Plus, for everyone who has or will call him a pedophile, remember that he was tried by a jury of his peers and found innocent, and acquitted of all charges. Remember the concept of innocent until proven guilty? He was not proven guilty, thus should be considered innocent. Unfortunately, people demonized him as soon as they heard "child molestation" and immediately assumed that being brought to court is the same thing as admitting guilt.

 

He was a weird duck though, I won't dispute that.

[Q]

My thoughts on the whole pedophilia thing:

 

This last accusation where he was tried and found innocent was most likely bogus, but does anyone remember when the first accusations came out way back in the early 90s? What did he do? He fled the country like Roman Polanski. I'm not saying that he definitely did it, but he most certainly acted guilty as hell.

 

His being a complete and total freak didn't help matters any.

[Bimmerman]

No, they settled out of court I thought. Sketchy, yes, but since there's no proof, it's not indicative of anything.

[Taak Farst]

Rest in Peace Michael Jackson.

 

I have listened to thriller about 1000000 times today..

 

He didn't deserve to die. He was a great singer, and a great public figure. He was brilliant on stage and off.

 

People keep condemning him though..its really sickening. He was accused of pedophilia and everything - which I don't believe he did.

 

He never wanted to grow up. He was mentally challenged in that way. He loved the Jackson Five and when they grew up and got girlfriends and got hitched, he felt they betrayed the fans. He never wanted to grow up - and he had the kids over as sleep overs - because to him - it was a child sleepover. Pedophilia had no part, I strongly believe that. He mentally struggled.

And people bad mouth his plastic surgery. He had an (IMO) valid reason. He hated his family and the family lifestyle - he wanted to change it. Full stop. so he thought changing his looks wud change his life.

 

I have heard very insulting jokes about him today. It's rude. I had a ticket to one of his concerts ^^ shame he died..i guess i get my money back now..

[Aash Li]

OJ is in the same boat as Micheal was, but most people believe he is guilty as well. The guilty until proven innocent thing only applies in court - to lawyers and judges and juries. Us common people are going to think one way or another regardless of whatever the court says.

It would be nice if it worked the other way, and that people werent jaded, but it doesnt unfortunately.

 

I agree with Q though, if he wasnt guilty why did he flee? Why did he move to a middle eastern county (I think it was)? Thats the actions of guilt, not innocence. I guess it really doesnt matter now, hes gone.

[Will O' The Wisq]

The King Has Died, Long Live The King!

 

Michael Jackson - The King Of Pop

 

1958 - 2009

 

R.I.P

[Salzella]

the radio coverage (non-stop radio coverage) never once mentioned the pedophilia charges and probable guilt, or his freakiness overall. suddenly, he's dead and he's a saint, unable to do wrong, any inconvenient marks on his personality airbrushed out? people have a strange obsessions with death, and remembering who the person could or should have been, rather than who they were. and all the hoo-hah around it is so irritating. he was a famous singer who died, and yet people are treating it like its the apocalypse or something. terribly tragic, enduring legacy, pop icon, blah blah blah....

[Insignia_Enithma]

RIP Michael Jackson,

 

To me you will always be an amazing musician, who was ripped to shred by the media jackals.

[JediAthos]

the radio coverage (non-stop radio coverage) never once mentioned the pedophilia charges and probable guilt, or his freakiness overall. suddenly, he's dead and he's a saint, unable to do wrong, any inconvenient marks on his personality airbrushed out? people have a strange obsessions with death, and remembering who the person could or should have been, rather than who they were. and all the hoo-hah around it is so irritating. he was a famous singer who died, and yet people are treating it like its the apocalypse or something. terribly tragic, enduring legacy, pop icon, blah blah blah....

 

 

I can't speak for the radio coverage where you are...but MTV, and the major news outlets along with Sirius Satellite Radio did mention all of that stuff. It is terribly tragic when someone dies suddenly, and he does have an enduring legacy through his music and all the artists he inspired. He was a pop icon, and a trend setter for the music industry.

 

Michael had his personal issues, that is certain...but he was very much all the blah blah blah you dismiss as hooh-hah