You are currently browsing the daily archive for July 7th, 2009.
Today is Michael Jackson’s funeral. I do not intend to be disrespectful in this post, nor do I wish to anger any fans. I have been a distant, casual observer to this three-ring circus, and I can honestly say, “ENOUGH!” This is just getting ridiculous. What is more entertaining than the story and all the sidebars, is the frenzy that the media has created. They are falling all over each other for “exclusives”. They are taking every scrap they find and shove it down our throats. Even the always dignified (sic) CNN is participating in this feeding frenzy. Any real sense of remorse or sense of loss is missing. Come on, folks! This is a sad story. Actually, it’s pathetic and indicative of how pop culture is portrayed. And the public are like jackals circling a helpless buffalo. They can smell the blood and are ready for the kill. They want more, and soon they shall have it. The Franklin Mint, Time Life, and all the other hawkers of collectables will have their bits. It’ll all be on QVC, just wait. I’m waiting for the exclusive funeral and memorial DVD. You don’t think so? If Billy Mays was still alive, he’d pitch it. He’ll probably do it from the grave. It’s all just disgusting.
I have a good friend who is absolutelty beyond consolation over this, as are many of Michael’s fans. I felt the same way when both Marvin Gaye and Mel Blanc died. Well, maybe I was just melancolly for a week. But not like my friend. Michael Jackson, in her mind, was bigger than Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Madonna rolled into one. She and I have gone toe-to-toe on this and, although I think his contribution to popular music transcends pop music, I can’t see him at the top of the mountain. Feel free to disagree with me. I have some good memories of Michael’s music. I played alot of pick-up basketball in college. One of the gym rats had this huge boombox, and he played nothing but R&B and disco while shooting hoops. This was about the time that Off The Wall was huge and it was on everyone’s turntable. We couldn’t walk through the dorm without hearing it at any time of the day. Anyway, it was the soundtrack of those pick-up games. We played for hours with nonstop music, turned up full volume. It was a good thing we chose a court at the far end of the fieldhouse because we got some strange looks from the podunks from The County. I own Off The Wall and Thriller. The later was a gift for my 21st birthday, from a girl I was dating at the time. I haven’t played them in years, soI’ve enjoyed the music local radio stations have been playing. Although I know, having worked in commercial broadcasting, that the tightly restricted formats by most oldies stations will abandon the music as soon as the hoopla quiets down. Too bad-there is some great music there and people should hear it.
I hope he gets to rest in peace. I hope that the untold bits of his life will remain untold. Because he can no longer defend himself, and anyone who dredges up all the juicy bits to print in a tell-all book has no conscience and lacks moral fiber. Leave the Neverland Ranch as it is. Don’t pimp it as a west coast Graceland, with a gift shop filled with useless, pointles merchandise. But I know that won’t happen. Pretty soon, we might find little Michael Jackson figures in Happy Meals. Ooooh, wouldn’t that be ironic.
Rest in peace, Michael.
It’s like anything in this pop culture mad world; you build ‘em up just to see them fall. And that isn’t how life should be. I ignored all the miasma that surrounded his career. All the bits and pieces that made Entertainment Tonight, all the weirdness of his life away from music, the way he was transformed from a beautiful black man to a pale oddity–it was all the stuff you couldn’t ignore because it was all rammed down our throats. And people couldn’t get enough of it.
Attention shoppers! It’s big fun at the big city hospital. We had a water main break on the 9th floor, and it’s one big mess. Lots and lots of water, patients gettting moved around, contractors scurrying everywhere. I’d hate to be the plumber who didn’t seat that joint properly. “Go sit on the bench, son. We’ll let you know when we need ya.”
So how does this affect my department? Good question. How do I, Storeroom Grunt, make this situation better? Well, according to the powers that be, they’ll let me know. It’s a typical hurry-up-and-wait mentality. If they do need anything, it will be medical supplies.
