chickenstrip

Being one of the 'senior' members here, I grew up listening to Michael Jackson, the Jackson 5 and later (it was unavoidable). I stopped listening to 'popular' music early on, but I can't deny the enormous impact he had on music and culture in general. Popular culture has been one of the strongest US exports since at least the 50s, and Jackson was at the top longer than most.

malahhaor

A very thought and strange journey through life. So many fans, so much fame and money, yet still probably the loneliest person in the world. Yet he managed to influenced the entire world.
I was never a fan, even though listened to some of the songs, still feel somewhat saddened by his departure. This will impact everyone almost as much as Princes Diane's passing. Many , many many fans around the world.

RickB

He wasn't on my list of top performers but RIP Michael...

epleeds

It just amazes me that the news is making him out to be a saint. Yes, he was a good artist, but he was a child molester....he got what he deserved...

L8RGYZ

Not sure if he molested children or not. Never proven in court, but pretty likely.

Amazing talent, but weird. Too much crotch grabbin' for me, but I liked his music & performance in general.

I remember where I was when JFK was assassinated, the Challenger blew up and the Twin Towers fell. When Elvis & Michael Jackson died is just another day.

Circuit_Burner

I didnt feel so wierd as long as MJ was alive and kicking.
Now that hes gone, I feel stranger.
Maybe if I stop wearing my one olympia suberbike glove to the supermarket, and change my shade of lipstick to a more peachy shade, I wont stand out as much.

MJ, you devil.
You wanted a comeback, and now youve outdone even yourself.
Now you are legend, and your stock rises.
Maybe you are smarter than us all.
Enjoy what we wont see till the end.

j shizzy wizzy

RIP

jonnyd

Regardless of what he's been lately, his influence will stand forever. King of Pop, RIP.

Did anyone else find it funny (and very cool) that MTV was *actually* playing MUSIC VIDEOS last night?

k-d-williams

To me there were 2 Micheal Jacksons. One was a Pop Icon of his younger years thru the 70's and 80's. And yes I like every other teenager at the time listened to his music and loved it.

Then there was MJ Two, who became what ever it was that he became!

Too bad that he didn't pass away in the late 80's, he would have been remembered as one of the worlds greatest entertainers, but instead he will be remembered as a "Pop Icon turned Pedophile" Too bad!

j shizzy wizzy

"Only in America!.....can a poor black boy, grow up to be a rich white man!"

chickenstrip

Man, you're older than you look!

VTRsurfer

True, yet there are many who still call us a racist nation.

I was never a fan. Being 23 years old when the Jackson 5 came on the scene, I was listening to The Stones, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, The Chambers Brothers, etc. All of whose music was miles ahead of the Bubble Gum Pop of the Jacksons.

I was not surprised by his death.

RK1

It's a bad news/good news thing.

Bad news?

Radio and TV gonna be 24/7 MJ for a couple of weeks, reminding us all how shallow and depraved our culture has become.

Good news?

After that it will mostly be over, and parents in Jackson's neighborhood can let their boy childs go out and play unsupervised again.

LineArrayNut

+1

doggerman

So Farrah Fawcit walks up to the pearly gates and God says, welcome to heaven you get one wish.Farrah say's, I wish for all the childen in the world to be safe.

jbaxx

Never a fan of MJ but IMO was one of the most naturally gifted performers ever.. but yeah, got real weird.

PUSHrod

But it was the likes of Berry Gordy and Motown that made Jacko possible, sure he had talent but he was a pedophile monster. Undeserving of adulation regardless of expressed talent.

No one applauds Hitler for the autobahn or making the trains run on time, right? If rabid fans of MJ want to deify him, then I look askance at the fans and tend to keep a safe distance. Waaaay to much ick for me.

killer5280

You got the joke wrong. It's only in America can a poor black boy grow up to be a rich white woman.
Sad and weird end to a sad and weird life.

Liquidogged

I think it's funny that many seem to take it for granted that he was a pedophile - it was never actually proven in court. Same thing happened to OJ - he beat the rap but lots of people still claimed he was guilty. I know MJ settled out of court for that one case, which doesn't suggest innocence, but then you've got to look at it like this: if a guy has a lot of money, and is really weird, and people are suspicious of him, then it's pretty easy to make him look bad and get some money out of it. OR maybe did really abuse kids. It's certainly entirely possible.

All that aside, he was a musical genius. As a musician myself, it's impossible to overstate the effect he had on popular culture ever since Thriller hit the shelves in '82. With a level of talent like that, it's almost not surprising that he turned out so strange - aren't the brilliant ones always totally bizarre?

RIP.

nuhawk

When the train pulled away from the station all was well. Along the way there was an accident that became a - it's been years but the perpetual motion of the train-wreck has finally come to silence.

God help his kids and his creditors. For all their innocent beginnings, this is probably the most fukt up family on the planet.

RK1

Three big celebrities died in the past couple of weeks. Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Ed McMahon.

Which one gets the most media attention? The sick **** black pedophile ****** who dedicated his life to trying to look like a white woman.

The least attention?

The USMC WW2 fighter pilot who re-enlisted when he didn't have to to fly again in the Korean War.

maverick