OT - Where are we headed as a society?

[RonB]

Last evening one of the news stations was doing street interviews. I saw a relatively intelligent and affluent young man compare the death of Michael Jackson with the death of a president.

This morning all of the news stations are running seemingly full time coverage on this national tragedy. One broadcasts appeared to be from the senate floor.

All of the internet news and hub pages are plastered with his picture and stories of the untimely death.

They are waiting on toxicology reports to see what he had in his body when he died.

Granted, as a young man, Michael Jackson was a stand-out performer from a very talented family. Then we watched him slowly go nuts. He changed his color. He destroyed his looks with countless body modifications. At one time he appeared to be changing his sexual appearance. He hung his infant son over a balcony rail by one leg. He became a nearly recluse nut that built a fairly-land to attract children.

What in the hell is wrong with a society that regards such a creature as a fallen hero?

Good Grief!

RonB

[Robatoy]

We slow down and gawk at the scene of an accident. Human nature to be spellbound by the bizarre. Hence the joke: Q: How many Torontonians does it take to change a lightbulb? A: 400,000. One the change the bulb, 399,999 to slow down and take a look at the old bulb.

[FrozenNorth]

There weren't nearly that many people there. ;-)

[DGDevin]

Ummm, no, actually he didn't. That clip has been on TV about a thousand times since yesterday. While Jackson's act was incredibly reckless and revealed more about what a messed-up freak he was than we already knew, he had both hands on the kid's body, he wasn't dangling him by a leg.

Hopefully most of the people mourning Jackson are thinking of when he was undeniably a brilliant entertainer. Not my cup of tea, but it would be silly to pretend he wasn't extremely good as a performer. Too bad he lost his mind along the way of course.

[Doug Miller]

Right, but so what? Why should an entertainer be regarded as a hero? To me, a hero is the cop who puts his life on the line every day to guard the safety of people he will never meet. The firefighter who runs into a burning building when you or I would run out. The nurse who works herself ragged every day caring for strangers. The EMT working frantically to stabilize an accident victim in the desperate hope of keeping him alive long enough to reach the ER. The retired businessman volunteering at the local library, teaching children to read. The soldier. The blood donor. The teacher. The hospice volunteer.

Those are the *real* heros. Not Michael Jackson.

Indeed, but again -- so what? There are some 15 to 20 million other people in this country with some form of serious mental illness, whose stories are just as tragic. They will never be celebrated by the news media, nor mourned by strangers, but their lives are no less important. I watched, over two years, as an accelerating descent into paranoia turned a once pleasant and outgoing colleague into a surly and suspicious brute. She is equally a child of God with Michael Jackson, and therefore of no less value, yet her story will never be told by CNN, nor, when she passes, will the local newspaper proclaim above the fold (as it did today) "We Have Lost an Icon".

[Sonny]

Since his death, a credit, I've heard several times, incorrectly attributed to him, is the creation of the music video, now a standard in the music industry. It was the Beatles that created the first music video and it was Paul McCartney that recommended, to Michael Jackson, to start making them for his own music.

Sonny

[jo4hn]

Interesting history of music videos at

I remember seeing a Cab Calloway video in a theater in the 1940s sometime. mahalo, jo4hn

[DGDevin]

No offense, but I don't see anyone but you using the word hero in reference to Michael Jackson.

People get silly over famous actors, singers and so on, especially if they were of a certain age when that artist's work was popular. Look at how millions of people reacted when John Lennon died, or Elvis, or Jerry Garcia, or Pavarotti (whose funeral was a national event in Italy). If you grew up listening to a performer's music you're going to have an emotional attachment to some degree, it's human nature. As to the deaths of famous people getting more press coverage than regular folks, well duh. Surely this isn't the first time you've noted this phenomenon?

Of course part of this is the former profession of journalism (now a branch of the entertainment industry) going into a feeding frenzy just as they do when a celebrity is involved in almost anything, must less dying unexpectedly. Is it a bit nauseating? Sure, but it's been that way for awhile now, it isn't a situation unique to Michael Jackson.

[Swingman]

Here is a 1932 "music video" of sorts ... three middle class white girls from NOLA singing with "soul", before it was invented:

[Leon]

So, tell the truth if you are going to bad mouth some one.

[Leon]

I suspect that like the details you mentioned above about him danglening his son by one leg, society does not really care about the truth any more and will spew any thing to get one's attention. If you report the truth he probably does not look quite so bad.

I did not care for his antics but he was a pretty good entertainer.

[Phisherman]

I don't care what Michael did to his body, nor do I care about all the personal problems he had. But I do like his music, he was exceptionally talented at that. If you have nothing good to say about the dead, say nothing at all.

[SBH]

Doug, that was brilliantly stated, I hope you don't mind, I will use your words for rebuttal purposes when confronting those who worship him as a God. Of course, credit will go to the guy on the newsgroup.

Thanks

[jo4hn]

Good choice. The Boswells were quite popular before the Andrews'. Check out the videos and look here for a quick bio:

[Robatoy]

I'm a huge fan of the Roches, Dan Hicks' Hot Licks and stuff like that. Nothing quite like three or more women finding 'Harvey' in the harmony. Vocal harmonies, done right, can make the hair on my arms stand up straight. Mostly when done with all natural women, but the guys can do it too. Sometimes a combo, like Mammas and The Papas. (They coined 'Harvey' as that sweet thing in the attic when harmonizing voices become one voice.) Hollies, Peter & Gordon, Everly Brothers, CSN&Y on a good day, .... the list is long, but it has a common thread. What do we have now? Auto-Tune?

[Lew Hodgett]

the list is long, but it has a common thread. What do we have now? Auto-Tune?

Near as I can tell, the Everly Brothers had one hit in 1958 and nothing since.

Are they still performing?

Are they still alive?

Lew

[Doug Miller]

???

[Jack Stein]

Everly Brothers --- Wake Up Little Susie Everly Brothers --- All I Have To Do Is Dream Everly Brothers --- Bye Bye Love Everly Brothers --- Devoted to you Everly Brothers --- Kathy's Clown Everly Brothers --- Let It Be Me Everly Brothers --- Lucille Everly Brothers --- Til I kissed Ya Everly Brothers --- Bird Dog

Just I few I have.

Haven't a clue...

[jo4hn]

If you like vocal harmonies in a men's choral setting try

Sit back, relax, and listen... j4

[Swingman]

sometime in the mid 70's. She was fortunate to have spent some time with and interviewed Connie shortly before she died. I have been fortunate enough to have the writer as a house guest many times since, and we still listen to the interview/talk about little else when together.

Last I heard the book is still being worked on ...