Okay. I’m almost speechless.
Almost.
Now, I’m going to give a preface. And I’m only going to say it one time. I understand completely that the death of Michael Jackson is world news. Not only is it world news, but it’s history in the making. It’s a shock to everyone- as if R&B itself had flatlined- even if just temporarily.
I get it. I respect it. But this shit has got to stop.
A few days ago in a post I read, I believe on the HuffPo, folks were being quoted as saying the death of Michael Jackson could doom Iran. I understood what they meant; the event has sent a shockwave around the globe, and the media has to be there to report every moment of it. But a part of me believed that we’re better than that. We are, aren’t we?
Why don’t we ask Anderson Cooper.
Background; Anderson Cooper holds a special place in my heart, as does Solidad O’Brien, because those are 2 tv journalists who ripped the cover off of Katrina. Not only did they make the country and the world understand what was going on, they took elected officials in the highest positions- and appointed officials- to task on television for everyone to see. It was redemption when we needed it the most.
But this…this right here. Allow me to explain.
Anderson Cooper decided that it was necessary to spend on-air time, and pre-production and money and other resources to track down, none other than Bubbles the mutha f*ckin CHIMP that used to belong to Michael Jackson, for comment on Jackson’s death.
No, I will not repeat it, read it again! Yes, YES, YES!! Yup. Mmmhhmm.
Now, don’t get me wrong, but we have a lot of issues on this planet. Too many to name in one post, in fact.
Iran is just one of those things. I’ve written about it, been interviewed on the radio about it, spend 2 hours at bare minimum every day to update myself on what is happening so that I can continue to know and educate others. I can’t explain why Iran means so much to me, hey, I’m just a sista from Seattle. If I haven’t convinced ya’ll that it’s critical right now, then I haven’t done my job. But hey, I’m no Anderson Cooper- oh wait, Anderson’s not doing his damn job either. This mofo is chasing down a damn monkey- oh wait, chimp, sorry.
This is why I don’t watch television. Mainstream news media is failing their damn job. All you cable users are paying for that garbage. You should let them know how you feel about the way they use your money.
Pathetic.
Iran is the thing, people. Iran.
I could not agree more.
What has been exposed here is a Michael Jackson fetish that I didn’t know was so deeply entrenched. Hero/celebrity worship is bad, but hero/celebrity fetishization is even more troublesome.
What’s the distinction?
Hero worship ebbs and flows. Everybody knew Jackson was a basket case. The whole world loved him regardless of that because his music was unmatched. After he slowed down in the mid 90s, his basket-case-ness became more visible without the veil of the music. He went high, then low.
Everybody expected there to be lots and lots of news cycles spent on Michael Jackson, but reasonable people expected that to die down after the weekend. When I woke up Tuesday and still saw Michael all over MSNBC, it graduated to fetish status: the weird obsession that will not let this man rest in peace.
One Love. One II.
I think that is so apropos; fetish stage. I don’t watch tv or have cable, so I’ve been able to lessen my MJ exposure to only what I purposely click on. I haven’t watch the videos, nor have I listened to a single song since the news of his passing. A friend asked me why I didn’t want to pay my respects and honor MJ’s life…
his life of late? No. I don’t want to honor that at all. That doesn’t mean I DIShonor it, but I’m not dloading every song he ever recorded either. The day after he died I didn’t post a single MJ story in any of my networking circles. I felt I really needed to do just the opposite in fact.
To tell you the truth, I was relieved. When TMZ reported he’d died, and everyone freaked out and said that should not be considered “confirmation”, first of all I disagreed, 2nd of all I found myself thinking “please don’t be wrong”.
MJ had a rough life from beginning to end. At 50 he’d been making music for 45 years. He didn’t know how to function as a “normal” kid and then a “normal” adult. He couldn’t have healthy relationships with women or friends. He hated his blackness to no end and ontop of that he had to deal with the expectations set upon him, by the industry and by “the fans”.
Let him rest in peace already. Folks need perspective!