Michael Jackson, Alive and Well

June 26, 2009 6:51 PM

For our 9th birthday, back in 1987, our dad bought us an Aiwa stereo system, with a turntable on top. The first album we spun on that mofo was Bad. And we spun it over and over again. Our favorite song was definitely "Man In the Mirror." Many of our first musical memories are of MJ: The Pepsi commercials, the halftime show and, later on, the debut of the "Black or White" video. His performance of "Billie Jean" at Motown 25 is the single most jawdropping performance we've ever seen. We owned the glittered glove, and we definitely had one of those red leather "Thriller" jackets.
From then on, things got weird. He moved into an amusement park. His nose disappeared. His skin became whiter. He dangled Blanket over the balcony. He could no longer perform like he once had, and no longer live up to the larger-than-life persona that he created. When you've reached the pinnacle, though, where else is there to go? 
When we got wind yesterday that he was rushed to the hospital, we turned on the TV only to find out that he was dead. In a way, the news was almost comforting to us. There is no doubt that MJ was a tortured soul. He was robbed of his childhood, and there aren't enough gold records in the universe that can cure that kind of psychological damage. It pains us even to listen to those Jackson 5 records, when he and his brothers were programmed to perform, in fear of the whip. 
We're pretty sure MJ is resting, finally, in peace. And it may just be the first sense of peace he's ever known.
The media will drag out his death to no end. Friends, family, associates and prognosticators will blab on and on about what killed him, and what he'd lived for. 
But we won't be paying any attention.    
Michael Joseph Jackson is officially dead, but in our humble opinion that guy died a long time ago.
The great Michael Jackson -- the King of Pop, and the brilliant showman that created Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad -- is immortal.


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