Monday, March 4, 2019

Leaving Neverland



For years I have been an enormous Michael Jackson fan. Not the fanatical variety that dressed up like him and tried to emulate his every move, but I've been in awe of his musical talents from nearly as far back as I can remember. I've been around the block long enough to have watched him perform with his big brothers, ironically (in retrospect) seeming so much older than his years. At my first job as a summer camp counselor for 7, 8 and 9 year old kids at my church, the kids put on a talent show at the end. The girls performed Stop! In the Name of Love and the boys, led by this little guy who was a fantastic dancer, performed Dancing Machine. I remember hearing songs from Off the Wall the first time around and knowing immediately that there was a new sheriff in town. I expected him to become a big movie star after The Wiz but it turned out to be a one shot deal. Along with everyone else I recognized while watching Motown 25 that he was ready to explode to the next level. I remember anticipating the hyped debuts of videos such as Thriller and Remember the Time that actually turned out even cooler than we imagined they would be. In college I lied to a girl or two I was trying to impress, claiming to be one of the background dancers in Michael Jackson's video for Bad. I named one of my short stories after an MJ song (You've been hit by, you've been struck by...). If not quite a stan, I was definitely a Michael Jackson all caps FAN.

As Jackson got older he definitely got weirder. Stories about him grew increasingly disturbing. The odd changes to his appearance actually turned out to be useful distractions from odder, not particularly low whispers about his personal life. I remember feeling relieved when he married Lisa Marie Pressley. Maybe, in spite of some eccentricities, he was basically a normal guy after all. People try to take advantage of absurdly wealthy celebrities by making up salacious stories and suing them as a get rich quick scheme all the time. Michael Jackson was quirky because of an abnormal childhood, but nothing more sinister than that. I tried to believe this and was largely successful at convincing myself.

I was rocked when he died as evidenced when I wrote One Glove-One Love: Michael Jackson tribute and Michael Jackson Memorial Service. I knew there would never be another like him. Although I didn't consider him to be a music genius on the level of Miles Davis or Prince, Michael was certainly the ultimate entertainer. To make a proper comparison, rather than choosing another singer it probably makes more sense to compare him to Harry Houdini or Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Game changers!

Last night I watched the documentary Leaving Neverland. I've officially seen and heard enough. I can no longer see Michael Jackson as innocent until proven guilty. Now it's the other way around. At least I still have Janet...and Tito.







I would eventually learn why there was no appearance by the fathers in documentary. Not a whole lot of happy in these stories.






Yes there was a childlike quality to Michael Jackson,

 but to what degree was it a lure?














If you're not able to stomach watching the documentary (you certainly wouldn't be alone) but you are interested in this subject, I recommend reading this BuzzFeed article at minimum.

Some other stuff I found (while looking for a picture or two to accompany this post) to be taken with as large a grain of salt as you wish:

MJ and Boys;  NY Post article;  National Enquirer article




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