Thursday 6/25/2009 10:12:00 PM/ 22:12:00 PDT:
"Legacies: Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett"
What a day this has been. The news of losing "Charlie's Angels" icon Farrah Fawcett was bad enough. But nothing had prepared the world- let alone myself- for the bigger aftershock to come. About five hours after Ms. Fawcett lost her brave battle with cancer, the news of the sudden death of Michael Jackson was like being broad sided by a semi, right after you get slammed by the first vehicle. Many celebrities were friends of both, of course, and no doubt the pain they, and the fans, feel is like being stabbed. A massive heart attack (no pun intended, largely in respect to Mr. Jackson- and largely also to Ms. Fawcett) just knocking us over.
Whatever you think of Jackson- his songs; his large catalog of music, or his eccentricities- there will never be another like him. I worry about what will unfold over the next few days- some fans will no doubt attempt suicide (some even succeeding). Already, I've seen fans holding the LP copies of Jackson's "Thriller" album, and playing "Billie Jean". Somebody said on MSNBC that Jackson was "bigger than Elvis", and I thought the same thing as I saw all the celebrity tributes pour in.
A funny thing...I guess, a bit of a tragic comedy. About a couple hours before the news of his being rushed to the Ronald Reagan-UCLA hospital broke, a couple of friends and myself watched a video on YouTube, in which Michael Jackson- played by an actor- had faced off with the rock group KISS (all four original members). Michael had danced, and KISS had shocked him. Mike then brought out some kids to beat up KISS, but then KISS turned the whole situation around and recruited the kids, who in turn killed Jackson. But Paul Stanley said, "He'll be back." I think it's safe to say that even the KISS Nation joins the world in mourning.
What will be the legacies of Mary Farrah Leni Fawcett and Michael Joseph Jackson? Fawcett as the bombshell in the wet red swimsuit- with her nipples attempting to escape? Or as a brave actress who took on challenging- and sometimes troubling- roles? No doubt, many will remember her as a brave fighter who faced her cancer head on. Perhaps she will be remembered for all three.
Jackson will be a bit more difficult to pin down. To many, he was the singer to scream for, I guess someone to die for. To many others, he was a monster who preyed on children. Yet many others thought that he was weird- he did have his eccentricities (buying the bones of John Merritt, the "Elephant man"; sleeping in a hyberbaric chamber; etc). But nonetheless, Jackson was- and to much of his worldwide audience, will always be- an icon. One of the original "American Idols", if you will. And now the world moonwalks for Michael, and fantasize about the Marilyn Monroe of Generation X, Farrah.
Both will be missed.
I'll continue coverage of the passages throughout the weekend.
(C) 2009 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
"Legacies: Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett"
What a day this has been. The news of losing "Charlie's Angels" icon Farrah Fawcett was bad enough. But nothing had prepared the world- let alone myself- for the bigger aftershock to come. About five hours after Ms. Fawcett lost her brave battle with cancer, the news of the sudden death of Michael Jackson was like being broad sided by a semi, right after you get slammed by the first vehicle. Many celebrities were friends of both, of course, and no doubt the pain they, and the fans, feel is like being stabbed. A massive heart attack (no pun intended, largely in respect to Mr. Jackson- and largely also to Ms. Fawcett) just knocking us over.
Whatever you think of Jackson- his songs; his large catalog of music, or his eccentricities- there will never be another like him. I worry about what will unfold over the next few days- some fans will no doubt attempt suicide (some even succeeding). Already, I've seen fans holding the LP copies of Jackson's "Thriller" album, and playing "Billie Jean". Somebody said on MSNBC that Jackson was "bigger than Elvis", and I thought the same thing as I saw all the celebrity tributes pour in.
A funny thing...I guess, a bit of a tragic comedy. About a couple hours before the news of his being rushed to the Ronald Reagan-UCLA hospital broke, a couple of friends and myself watched a video on YouTube, in which Michael Jackson- played by an actor- had faced off with the rock group KISS (all four original members). Michael had danced, and KISS had shocked him. Mike then brought out some kids to beat up KISS, but then KISS turned the whole situation around and recruited the kids, who in turn killed Jackson. But Paul Stanley said, "He'll be back." I think it's safe to say that even the KISS Nation joins the world in mourning.
What will be the legacies of Mary Farrah Leni Fawcett and Michael Joseph Jackson? Fawcett as the bombshell in the wet red swimsuit- with her nipples attempting to escape? Or as a brave actress who took on challenging- and sometimes troubling- roles? No doubt, many will remember her as a brave fighter who faced her cancer head on. Perhaps she will be remembered for all three.
Jackson will be a bit more difficult to pin down. To many, he was the singer to scream for, I guess someone to die for. To many others, he was a monster who preyed on children. Yet many others thought that he was weird- he did have his eccentricities (buying the bones of John Merritt, the "Elephant man"; sleeping in a hyberbaric chamber; etc). But nonetheless, Jackson was- and to much of his worldwide audience, will always be- an icon. One of the original "American Idols", if you will. And now the world moonwalks for Michael, and fantasize about the Marilyn Monroe of Generation X, Farrah.
Both will be missed.
I'll continue coverage of the passages throughout the weekend.
(C) 2009 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.
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