"Do not be a respecter of persons," the good book says, and yet being respecters of people is, by definition, how America rolls. Celebrity fame long ago became the American dream. Identifying one's life with the life of a celebrity figure has become a vicarious way of life for more and more people. American media provides the daily fuel needed to maintain that way of life.
Which brings me to Michael Jackson and his untimely death.
I find the American media's blanket 24/7 coverage of Jackson's death over the last 2 days very revealing. It's not that other more important national and international news stories aren't out there, they are. There's renewed and troubling violence inside Iraq, there's the ongoing Iranian crackdown, there's the passage in the House of an energy bill, there's the affairs of two prominent GOP'ers, etc., etc., …..much more important stuff for Americans to know about than looping "Michael Jackson is dead" chyrons and asking endless "in the know" lunkheads what they think about it.
The truth about Michael Jackson, just like the truth about the war criminals, Bush and Cheney, may never be allowed to surface in the mainstream. Too embarassing and too costly. Today's Akron Beacon Journal puff piece on Jackson is typical of how media protects celebrities from their own sins being revealed…..even after death. The headline: "Jackson might have pushed heart too hard." How purposely misleading can a writer get?
Here's part of the truth about the gloved one….
Michael Jackson was "heavily addicted" to the powerful pain killer Oxycontin and received "daily doses" of it and of another pain killer, Demerol, according to a senior law enforcement official briefed on the initial investigation of his death.
The Los Angeles police were told Jackson received an injection of Demerol one hour before his death, the official said.
At 50 years old, Jackson's heart stopped because he was addicted to narcotics. Michael Jackson was a drug addict, and probably was a drug addict for the last 20 years. Demerol is a synthetic morphine and is extremely powerful and Oxycontin isn't called "hillbilly heroin" for no reason.
In a society where possession of an ounce of harmless marijuana can land a person in prison for a spell, I don't want to hear any "reasons" why Jackson got hooked or continually needed such high-potency narcotics. I don't want to hear about the "pressures" Jackson was under. I don't want to hear about how Jackson was "enabled" by his closest associates.
Jackson was a drug addict. Like Elvis, Michael had his own personal doctor. Like Elvis, Jackson's doctor was breaking the law by prescribing and administering such powerful dope. Yet, in the age of celebrity, all of this is to be expected and excused,…..it's simply what celebrities do.
After a refreshing beginning with the Jackson 5 in the early 70's, the talented singer and dancer came into his own in the 80's. Though he sold 50 million copies of his "Thriller" album and made the "moonwalk" famous, Jackson's songs, at least to me, were never very impressive. Jackson's major contribution, in my opinion, was his choregraphy and costuming. The pageantry.
Nothing much of value was produced by Michael from 1990 forward. Instead, his freakishness, …..the plastic surgery, the skin coloration thing, his "marriage" to Lisa Presley, his "children", the attention to underage boys, the drug addiction…..dominated his life over the last 20 years. In his most recent appearances at his trial where he was acquitted of molestation charges, Jackson looked and behaved oddly, to say the least.
American celebrity rules must be followed, however. There's a lot of post-mortem money still to be made from the dead star. The ugliness of Jackson's life will be shrouded from public consumption, and as much as possible, kept away from prime time. The toxicology report on Jackson, we're told, will take 4-6 weeks. Just enough time to spin a positive narrative about the freakish, drug-addicted entertainer. Just enough time to "create reality."
Michael Jackson is dead…..but the bizarro world of celebrity inside America lives on.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
How ironic that you would ask this…
How purposely misleading can a writer get?
Not ironic at all….that's how much.
Plus you don't like celebrity?
That is all candidate Obama had to sell. And you were a pretty big cheerleader.
I'm disappointed Rev. You suck.
We get what we deserve I quess– 24/7 M. Jackson. Someone please shoot me.
I realize that criticisms of celebrity can touch nerves. As I started out my post, I try not to be a respecter of persons. While I appreciate individual skills and talents, and enjoy them even, those skills and talents do not make me think or act any differently towards that person than I would towards any other person.
As I acknowledged in the post, Jackson was a talented entertainer.
I simply cannot comprehend, however, the worship and adoration of entertainers. I can't.
In Jackson's case, in light of his freakishness, borderline pedophilia, and now the drug addiction……worship and adoration couldn't be more misplaced.
I'm not trying to be disrespectful in any way, but the way the media was "covering" the story seemed obviously over-the-top and purposely misleading. angry seems keenly aware of the over-saturation part.
G-Mann….I value your comments, and I'm sorry I disappointed, but I had to call it like I saw it.
What I find nerve touching is that as a hater of religion and God that you would use a quote from the bible as a living standard. Come on Rev, come clean, you really are a believer deep down aren't you. It's ok, your secret is safe. The book also said that as a believer "do not deny me".
You are right about the bizarro world of celebrity, because Americans are now following it's biggest celebrity and he is leading them into the pits of poverty. BHO.
Far from the media whitewashing Jackson's problems, I believe just the opposite will be true. They will wallow in every sordid detail, just like they did with Elvis. Just wait. Even the soulless media sharks know it's in poor taste to trash the guy the minute after he dies.
king, i'm sure mj's death will inspire you to buy a new windowless van and a fresh bag of candy.
Right on target Terje. Doing just what your party has programed you to do, reacting irrationally to a response and adding your own lie. From reading your passed posts we have often discussed your tendency to steal. We also heard that your spouse is cheating on you again, ask 'em. If they say they aren't, they are lying to you. Ask them who and why they were talking and giggling with at Applebees the other day. Do you have a back fence where you and the neighborhood ladies stand and talk about everyone else in the neighborhood? I'm sure none of these are true….or are they?
average…I quote the Bible because almost everyone is a Christian.
If someone used a verse out of the Koran to illustrate the hypocrisy of Muslims, would that be acting hateful towards Islam?
And no, I'm not a believer. Not since about 1985. I don't have the slightest doubt about saying that there is no god. Atheism is the only position that makes any sense.
No position makes any sense, Reverend. No one has a clue and you'd be happier accepting that and letting go.
I disagree. There's a reality. It's all around us every day. There is no alternate reality….or if there is….there's no objective evidence to prove it exists, at least not yet.
In times past…it would be more understandable to be superstitious, but not any more.
I'm not agnostic, either…..there is no god.
According to modern physics we see very little of the 'objective realities' that surround us, Reverend. Those scientists come up with a lot freakier stuff than anything in the Bible.
What are the odds humans would evolve from inanimate matter and develop consciousness? Why do cells split in two and evolve into more sophisticated life forms? Why would species procreate and evolve, driven to survive? It all seems ridiculously improbable and miraculous.
Excellent comment, larry. We know next to nothing about reality or the universe. We've barely scratched the surface. It's incredibly miraculous by any standard.
Randomness plus time plus H2O.
Procreation is cell division writ large.
I understand your point…..however, for example, electricity seems magical and improbable too, that doesn't mean a divinity brought it into existence.
The main reason religion exists is to set forward a purpose for our seemingly meaningless lives, specifically in relationship to death. I agree with Gore Vidal's statement…."there's no point to us." I know that seems cold and harsh, and will never be well received….but I think it happens to be true.
terje,
If you can find one word I've ever written in support of pedophilia, please produce that evidence. If not, shut your lying face.
Randomness and absurdity are just two more delusional constructs meant to provide an anchor for thought and perceptions, Reverend. Why limit yourself?
"delusional constructs"
Gotta' give you credit for originality.