Album cover for Michael Jackson's 1991 album Dangerous. I knew Michael Jackson's death was a HUGE event the second I heard about it, which was right when it happened as I was tracking news feeds online. I thought Michael is American royalty and as such his death would be treated. Indeed, it has been the top story for a week, making headlines daily with every new detail or speculation reported in a nearly 24/7 coverage that has left many who didn't understand Michael's reach mystified.
Yes, he's no Kennedy--no present or former U.S. president would get anywhere near the attention Michael is getting, by the way. Even the passing of Mother Teresa--revered as a modern-day saint by Christians throughout the world--from a heart attack at 99-years-old on Sep 5, 1997, was overshadowed by Lady Diana's sudden death in a violent car accident days earlier on Aug 31. The first one transcended royalty; the second one was royalty and, therefore, commanded the general public's attention for weeks and months following the tragedy.
There's no question now that the "King of Pop" has turned out to be more than a media- or fan-concocted term for one of the most--if not the most--talented and fascinating pop artist of our time. The aftermath of his death is the evidence.
Critics claim media coverage has been excessive. Perhaps. After all, the media is not known for its restraint. Nevertheless, in this case (unlike so many others), I believe the public's hunger for all things Michael has been the driving force behind this "excessive" coverage and not the other way around. Viewers, listeners and readers aren't viewing, listening and reading about Michael simply because of the information and images saturating the media. They are seeking this information online with fervor. While some wish they could get away from it (good luck with that), many more seem captivated by this story, even those who didn't care much for him or his music while he was alive.
Why?
I think there's just so much triumph and tragedy in his story--enough to engage anyone with a spec of curiosity regardless of age or music preference.
The extremes are mindboggling. Michael was a collection of dualities--the contrasts between his bold larger-than-life persona on stage and his extremely shy and eccentric character off stage...between the genius and discipline that drove him to the pinnacle of success and the self-destructive forces he surrendered to...between his joy and sadness, his love for humanity and his disillusionment with it after being repeatedly let down.
It's a gripping tale, and people won't be getting enough of it anytime soon, if you ask me.
The Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.UPDATE: Within hours of the announcement, the website got 500,000,000 hits--that's half a billion visits, and, as expected, it crashed.
It will be watched my millions of people all over the world, whether on TV or online. It will be up there with Obama's acceptance speech. I'm sure of it.
City officials have a gargantuan task to accomplish, not only because of the scope of the event, but also, in my opinion, because of the emotions that have been percolating since Michael's death and that will reach a boiling point that day.
Despite California's current running-out-of-money financial state of emergency, a Los Angeles councilwoman said earlier today that the City of Los Angeles has funds set aside in its budget earmarked to secure citizen's safety and for extraordinary events. "And this is an extraordinary event," she said noted.
The city, however, needs help the private sector to pay for services other than security, such as sanitation and information technology, she added. Michael's celebrity friends could contribute with donations; I hope they do.
As of the time of this post, there was no word yet on whether or not Michael's body would be at the memorial.
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Some recently posted MJ stories:
Did Michael Jackson crave anesthesia?, posted July 2
Michael Jackson dies after cardiac arrest, posted June 25
Stars will shine in wake of Michael Jackson's death, posted June 26
Michael Jackson -- What the doctor ordered? posted June 27
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