I’m sure we would all agree that the media is a powerful influence on all of us. I had a personal experience with that this very morning.
For a dozen years or more I have been a firm disliker of Michael Jackson and all that he did. His death didn’t change my mind. But a CBC radio commentator did. He talked about how he hoped that Jackson’s death would allow us to move past the ecentricities and possible criminal behaviour of the last decade or more, and let us concentrate on the cultural value he has brought to my and later generations.
The commentator (God, I wish I knew his name) spoke about how Jackson had personally changed music, changed dance, changed video and thus TV. He spoke eloquently of Jackson’s abilities and marketing skills. And, yes, he turned me around.
I’m not going to go into the sort of religious frenzy I see on TV today, and on the net. But I am now able to put myself back in time to when “Off The Wall“, “Thriller” and “Dangerous” were released. These were extraordinarily fine albums by any measure, and he made wonderful movies to go with them. I am able now to go back to the very beginning and remember his as the leader of the Jackson 5. Such precocious talent. I loved every song.
Thanks, commentator. I needed that.
June 26, 2009 at 11:56 pm |
I think it was Jian Ghomeshi. He’s been the only newscaster or interviewee who’s said consistently intelligent things about Jackson over the past couple of days, instead of just blathering on.
June 27, 2009 at 2:02 am |
Ahh, good guess. I looked it up and it was actually Aamer Haleem, host of The Point radio show on CBC which, coincidentally, signed off for good yesterday.
July 31, 2009 at 4:16 pm |
Thanks for that perspective. I forwarded it to my husband who had held ADAMENT in his disgust of Michael J. I hope your changed perspective can help him remember we all have personal challanges that we may not overcome, but hopefully, what people will remember us for is what good we brought to the world!
October 12, 2009 at 4:48 pm |
I found this discussion interesting. I have always been a fan of Jackson’s music.. but find it verrry hard to get past pedophilia.
It makes me feel like a hypocrite anyway you look at it.
I wonder how we would view it today if Hitler had been a GOOD artist? And no, I am not comparing MJ to Adolf just playing around with the issues. Can we truly admire the art of an artist we consider reprehensible???