Sunday 28 June 2009

Michael Jackson's Killer

Michael Jackson's last album was in 2005 and it flopped.
His last live performance was in 2002.
He was in financial ruin after defending himself against child molestation allegations in 2005 (he won his innocence but lost his fortune) and forays into business and real estate were not amounting to much.

His management had just admitted to him that his forthcoming final curtain tour would involve 50 dates and not the 10 he had previously agreed to.
He was addicted to painkillers.
He had a dodgy cardiologist living on his premises who seemingly did not realise the dangers of heart drugs or drug combining. Or perhaps he just couldn't say no to a patient clearly panicking about a massive tour he was highly unlikely to be up to after a 7 year break from performing and all the emotional angst of having to defend himself against another set of parents happy to 'pimp' their young son out to his companionship, doubtless in hope of a massive payout, regardless of the innocence of their child's encounter with the star (and frankly I find it more likely that Mr Jackson was verging on the asexual than a bona fide kiddie fiddler).

I recently met someone who spent much of their professional life working as close personal bodyguard for one famous rock star and actress after another. He told me that they grow entirely dependent on their management whom it often suits to have them believe they can trust no one in the world except them, and then go on to begin controlling every aspect of the star's life, to the extent of even persuading them to marry a fellow star if they think it will be beneficial to their career. If the star is not intellectually very bright, or has a drug dependancy problem, they will often encourage this to further keep them under the thumb/their own parasitic gravy train going. Not that it is Michael Jackson's fault he was not intellectually gifted - being a child star from the age of 5, he had scarcely received an education.

But musical genius aside, I think it is highly likely Michael Jackson would have been classed as a 'vulnerable adult' in the real world and been offered the appropriate help. Of course the one thing his Management couldn't control was his mental instability and liability to blurt out naive ill-considered comments in public which might reflect badly on him, despite the beatific smile.

'Colonel Parker' apparently had a hand in Elvis' slow demise. Dylan Thomas was aided to his own premature death. Now Michael Jackson. Have 'they' accidentally killed their golden goose yet again?

RIP Mr Jackson. At least no one can torment you any more. And thanks for all the memories (though I think we all wish you hadn't gone to such pains to look like the love child of Elizabeth Taylor and Kirk Douglas, probably even you eventually, when it led to such cosmetic problems for you. I therefore attach some photos of you looking magnificant just the way you were - and the way most of us treasured you most.)

14 comments:

Steve said...

I think MJ's record company bosses will be rubbing their hands with glee - and his creditors will be rolling up their sleeves.

Steerforth said...

A sad, sad story. I saw some foootage of him walking around his favourite shop in Las Vegas, pointing to various pieces of hideous kitsch saying 'I'll have that...and that...ooh, and that...' in a way that reminded me of my three-year-old son.

What happened to him in the years after Thriller?

Nota Bene said...

It's a sad and sorry tale for sure...and goes to show the cost of fame and fortune

Wisewebwoman said...

It hurts to think about it all, Laura, how exploited he was as a child and abused also. I don't think he ever did find happiness and I bet those 3 kids of his are scarred, how could he possibly parent when he wasn't parented himself?
And the drugs.
It is all so incredibly sad.
XO
WWW

Dan said...

Agree with Steve...

http://www.metrolyrics.com/paint-a-vulgar-picture-lyrics-the-smiths.html

Reluctant Blogger said...

It does seem very sad. I was looking at the photos of him at ten - things could have been so different. But then I suppose we wouldn't have had Thriller and all the fab music.

Stars seem to need to be fatally flawed to produce real works of genius.

I'm glad I have no starlike qualities!!

The Sagittarian said...

Couldn't agree more, Laura. Very apt post. I'm avoiding it on my blog!

Stephen said...
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Stephen said...

Nicely done. More balanced than most of the nonsense going on over here in the United States. Most people here don't realize how influential MJ was in other nations, but some might argue that's par for the course...

(my previous comment was deleted so I could fix a typo!)

Lucy Fishwife said...

I read an interesting view somewhere - that Celebs get, basically, emotionally frozen at the age they were when fame first hit. So Britney is a sexually advanced 11-year old, George Clooney is around 30, and Michael Jackson is a 5-year-old who likes sleepovers and pyjama parties. I'd feel sorrier for him, though, if it wasn't for the questionable ethics of bringing three kids up in an atmosphere of "prescription" drugs, no bedtime, and diminished responsibility...

Romeo Morningwood said...

Classic tragedy. What profiteth a man to gain the world and lose his soul.

First of all every comment should haveth some King Jimmy Anglysche..
dayam that is some fine sh*t!

Secondly, MJ had a great run. He denied himself very little and lived like a King of Pop.

Thirdly, I blame his Dad Joe Jackson. Not only do I intensly dislike him for having the same name as the cool Joe Jackson who sang Is She really goin' out with-him!? But I just think that he f*cked up his kid's lives, especially Michael who was the cash cow.

Joe was hockin' his latest crap and tryin to weasel in on the freak show media frenzy a day after Michael died.

The truth will come out when the old bugger dies and goes straight to hell. He is going to make monster Dads like Bing Crosby look like Fred McFrickinMurray.

The Sagittarian said...

Hi Laura, just checking in to say Hi and hope that all is well in your world! :-)

Anonymous said...
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The Poet Laura-eate said...

Steve, what you say led to the alarming thought; what if he were deliberately pushed over the edge as the 'ultimate career move' by those close enough to him to be fully aware he wasn't up to a 50-date tour? Perhaps it was a case of concluding, well he'll never have another hit again, how will he make money now?

Steerforth, I saw that documentary too. And while he was apparently quite ruthless about sacking staff, despite his childlike qualities I think the problem was that he sacked those who dared to say 'no' and tell him certain things were not a good idea & then hire people who went along with his ideas and whims to further their own ends no matter how harmful and ultimately destructive to him these would prove.

Nota Bene - but it would be sad indeed to conclude there was never an alternative fate for the 'Prince of Pop'. I do like to think if only he'd been surrounded by the right people - people he couldn't sack if they told him things he didn't want to hear!

What I find so extraordinary WWW is that he does not seem to have made rock solid provision for what happened to his kids if anything happened to him, despite his protestations of love for them. And he must have known his lifestyle carried a high risk of premature death.

RB - it would be sad indeed to equate stardom with doom. There must be some stars out there who've lived long and happy lives - John Mills for example..? Well I wouldn't knock it until I'd tried it anyway ;- ) (if only to set an example of how to be happy and starry!) RB, I'm sure that's not true - you're just too afraid of the consequences to twinkle!

Sagittarian - know what you mean. I only tend to comment on big stories if I feel I have an angle to contribute, not necessarily being covered by anyone else. Incidentally isn't it odd how all that surgery transformed into a kind of human Marionette? And how his dancing in the Thriller days was so sexy, but oddly unsexual when you watch the videos again? I'm sure a lot of us had his poster on our bedroom wall, but how many of us really dreamt of being in his arms I wonder? Certainly not me.

Thanks Steve - well you can't blame the Americans for indulging somewhat - I guess he was almost their Princess Di.

Lucy, what an utterly fascinating theory - there may indeed be something in that.

Yes Donn, I am sure many of Michael's problems stemmed from his pushy psycho dad - wasn't most of the surgery in aid of looking as unlike Joe Jackson as possible for example?

Thanks for asking Sagittarian - got a job etc recently. so have been a bit out of the loop but hoping to recommence service as usual shortly! (and visit you all!)