A Confession

Ok, I am almost afraid to write this...but I am not understanding the frenzy around the death of Michael Jackson. For the past few weeks, we have been inundated with coverage of his death, and now his memorial service. I understand that he was a significant and influential pop performer, but the coverage and tone is just short of canonization. The weirdness that accompanied his life during the last 15 or so years rather eclipsed his musical contributions for me. And it seems that the same press that nearly crucified him with pedophilia charges and his aberrant lifestyle is now falling over themselves with praise and adoration.

I am reluctant to post anything on my Facebook status, because several of my friends are still in the frenzy mode. They are talking about crying watching the television coverage of the memorial service. Really??? Tears for a media circus?

Oops, sorry, slipped into judgmental mode there for a second...

I suppose I feel sorry for Michael Jackson -- in his death, as in his life, he is totally on display to the public, servant to their whims. His was a life far from normal, and had no privacy. How much the choices he made contributed to his situation is a matter of debate. But surely, there more important things going on in the world...