What are your opinions of Michael Jackson?

[Audio Tech]

I thought of him as a very talented artist. He certainly changed the definition of music videos... My god, I remember when Thriller first aired. EVERYONE had their VCR set to record it. I also think he looked his best on the Thriller album, he should have stopped with the surgeries at that point. Some of his music, in particular the Earth song, touched me deeply. Sometimes, in his videos, I wished that he could have had the power to set the world right.

But he was also a very tragic and flawed person. I was truly sad when he died, but at the same time he was finally released from the strange prison of his life.

[mrbeebs]

and Janet just as damn crazy

[sixthson]

If we are to believe even half of what is written about him, he was both a victim and a victimizer.

He became a freak of nature because he was raised by freaks and handled by freaks. To most of them, he seemed to be nothing more than a gravy train.

[xbuzzerx]

Not a good role model? Let's see...the guy wrote performed and coordinated an effort that fed millions of starving people in Africa....

There are alot of types of people who aren't so good role models....that have a "mess of a life"....I think judgmental people aren't so good at being role models....just look at Fred Phelps and what his judgemental ass did to his children.

I agree with you. I think Oprah falls under this same category of people love to hate her, but when push really comes to shove, what they really hate is someone being that big, that famous, and that hard to ignore. Oprah's done a lot of good as well, despite the fact that she's so popular to hate. I remember this surreal criticism I read of her from someone when she did that program of fully funding new homes for victims displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and her only stipulation was that they had to put in a little time working on the house. The critic said this showed what a petty person she was that she didn't just give them fully built houses-- yet I could not help but wondering if the person saying this had lifted any finger or their wallet for the victims.

I think some of those kids were fucking lying on him for dough.

I think so too. If I had been molested my parents would have never accepted money instead of prosecution. Ever. And I don't even think of my parents as particular saints.

[eastofeden]

I agree with you. I think Oprah falls under this same category of people love to hate her, but when push really comes to shove, what they really hate is someone being that big, that famous, and that hard to ignore. Oprah's done a lot of good as well, despite the fact that she's so popular to hate. I remember this surreal criticism I read of her from someone when she did that program of fully funding new homes for victims displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and her only stipulation was that they had to put in a little time working on the house. The critic said this showed what a petty person she was that she didn't just give them fully built houses-- yet I could not help but wondering if the person saying this had lifted any finger or their wallet for the victims.

So true..I wonder the same thing when the critics tear down someone who has done so much good for humanity. I hold humanitarians in high regard and I too wonder what the critic has done to make the world a better place.

The phenomenon of building people up and then tearing them down sucks. I have never really understood it.

[star-warrior]

I wasn't that enamoured of his stage presence, but, songwise, his early 1980's stuff I thought was his best. In particular Billy Jean which I think is my favourite out of all his stuff.

[Adrusek81]

My opinion on him is that he was the very personification of the concept "overrated". Mediocre vocalist, mediocre composer and even more mediocre dancer who somehow managed to take his incongruous Messianic megalomania to unparallelled heights, thanks to a less than discerning public who will stare in awe at anything that they're told is amazing.

If I have to hear single more person saying "he was so pure", "he was so good" or anything of that sort, I am going to vomit. He was a proven pedophile who was saved by the racial victimization he shamelessly exploited whenever someone criticized him for his actions (curious, when you take into account that he so desperately wanted to be Caucasian), the best legal representation that money can buy and, during his second trial, the prosecution's sheer stupidity and incompetence.

And please, a charity single doesn't make anyone a saint - have you not learned anything from execrable media manipulators like Bono, Sean Penn or Angelina Jolie? These individuals use the suffering of others to promote themselves, and seek sainthood in the process while pretending to criticize the same system they carelessly perpetuate, because it has made them wealthy and powerful. Returning to Michael Jackson, he squandered outrageous amounts of money on whimsical purchases, an increasingly luxurious lifestyle that even someone with his level of income couldn't support, and "parties" with children where "Jesus Juice" (and, I have no doubt, other types of juices) ran free. What exactly did he do for the poor and destitute of the world? Mention them once or twice during promotional interviews, between complaining about how life had mistreated him and inviting people to buy his albums?

Honestly, some people have bizarre ideas about what being a "humanitarian" truly consists of. Oh. and it's not called building people up and then tearing them down. It's called calling them on their self-aggrandizing bullshit.

[pat grimshaw]

...Billy Jean which I think is my favourite out of all his stuff.

That was obviously about the lesbian tennis player, wasn't it.

[eastofeden]

My opinion on him is that he was the very personification of the concept "overrated". Mediocre vocalist, mediocre composer and even more mediocre dancer who somehow managed to take his incongruous Messianic megalomania to unparallelled heights, thanks to a less than discerning public who will stare in awe at anything that they're told is amazing.

If I have to hear single more person saying "he was so pure", "he was so good" or anything of that sort, I am going to vomit. He was a proven pedophile who was saved by the racial victimization he shamelessly exploited whenever someone criticized him for his actions (curious, when you take into account that he so desperately wanted to be Caucasian), the best legal representation that money can buy and, during his second trial, the prosecution's sheer stupidity and incompetence.

And please, a charity single doesn't make anyone a saint - have you not learned anything from execrable media manipulators like Bono, Sean Penn or Angelina Jolie? These individuals use the suffering of others to promote themselves, and seek sainthood in the process while pretending to criticize the same system they carelessly perpetuate, because it has made them wealthy and powerful. Returning to Michael Jackson, he squandered outrageous amounts of money on whimsical purchases, an increasingly luxurious lifestyle that even someone with his level of income couldn't support, and "parties" with children where "Jesus Juice" (and, I have no doubt, other types of juices) ran free. What exactly did he do for the poor and destitute of the world? Mention them once or twice during promotional interviews, between complaining about how life had mistreated him and inviting people to buy his albums?

Honestly, some people have bizarre ideas about what being a "humanitarian" truly consists of. Oh. and it's not called building people up and then tearing them down. It's called calling them on their self-aggrandizing bullshit.

Never been a fan of overly judgemental people but it is bearable if the person understands that the vitriol is in fact opinion versus some kind of absolute truth.

...having said that...I read your opinion...I disagree with your assessment...and I hope you are never on my jury.

[star-warrior]

That was obviously about the lesbian tennis player, wasn't it.

She looked so like Velma off Scooby Doo.

[vacancy3]

great talent
lost soul
never a valid relationship which led to sad pedophile tendencies
lisa marie was a vicious mistake and a liar
closet homosexual
addict
in need of a REAL friend
will never be understood

[pat grimshaw]

She looked so like Velma off Scooby Doo.

I guess Scooby Doo was part of his quest to return to the world of children and children's things.

[loosingyourmind]

just how young are you, man?

very, but he wasn't THAT famous here in Italy. Or at least, from '94 to '09.

[Wvnudist]

He's a pedrophile best thing was him dying hope he's burning for eternity

[JP.]

Just in Time ...



Long live King!

[MattClaimer]

Never been a fan of overly judgemental people but it is bearable if the person understands that the vitriol is in fact opinion versus some kind of absolute truth.

...having said that...I read your opinion...I disagree with your assessment...and I hope you are never on my jury.

Agree 100 percent with EastOf on this, and let me add the following:

Adurusek81, less is more, so you might want to consider throwing away that thesaurus you got for Christmas.

[MattClaimer]

I think Michael Jackson was a truly talented human being, but he was a product of his surroundings, his family, his celebrity, etc.

I think if the people around him had truly cared about him they would have done everything they could have, to help him get his shit together. But they were only interested in what they could get out of him, not what they could do. DEFINITELY his family are major players in his ultimate demise. ALL of them.

He made some very bad decisions as a grown man, and I won't cut him any slack for that, from the drugs, pedophilia and other personal issues. He needed help, but he wasn't interested in getting it, it seems, and others weren't interested in giving it.

I think if he had been a product of a different environment as a child and a young man, he would have grown to be a different person, but still would have been a talent the world would have remembered like no other. And he would probably still be alive and with us today.

[Hard-up1]

Like many artists, Mr. Jackson was a mixed bag of talents and excesses. It seems to go with the territory.

We could all make a long list of others in various genres who have similar profiles, but with different details.

Great wealth usually connotes great power, and with it, exemption from justice. After all, Lizzie Borden was acquitted and lived out her life with the wealth she inherited from her slain parents.

The acknowledgement of talent and achievement doesn't negate the depth of depravity, nor does it have to. Art stands as art, and people remain people, with foibles, sins, and crimes, as well as virtues.

Mr. Jackson was every bit as human as any Roman emperor was, and influenced by many of the same forces: bad parents, rapacious siblings, corrupting wealth, detachment from reality, fawning fans, immoral counsel, and possibly lead in the water. OK, so maybe not the last bit.

If we are OK to judge his virtues, then we are equally OK in judging his vices. As an adult and mentally competent, he was morally, ethically, and (supposedly) legally accountable in our society. If he could accept the praises, then the condemnations were also due.

[derelictdarrel]

One early childhood memory was digging the song 'beat it' the guitar riffing and solo was pretty bad-ass. And later finding myself trying, but not getting into his other offerings.

I don't think the man buggered any kids. He is a man who let all the bad people run his life and never did much for himself. That can be pretty hard on the ol psyche..

[bw92116]

I think he was actually a lonely person, despite having a billion fans or whatever.
There was nobody who could relate to him in just a regular-person way.
This is a problem for a lot of famous people. Some can overcome it, some can't.
Some famous people can live 2 lives: the famous person and the normal, everyday life.
Unfortunately I don't think Michael ever experienced a normal life.
Michael was smart enough to buy the rights to the Beatles' catalog of songs.
And he was smart enough to hire Quincy Jones to produce his best albums.
Over 100 songs were considered for the Thriller album.
It's sad how his life turned out, but I think his musical legacy is without question.

[mrbeebs]

PYT is dope as hell.. its on my workout playlist.

[youfiad]

He had some a lot great songs, he had some horrible songs(like most musicians).

[pat grimshaw]

… I don't think the man buggered any kids. ..

What makes you think that? Your intuition? Faith?

I have no opinions as I never met the poor man.

[blackbeltninja]

My opinion on him is that he was the very personification of the concept "overrated". Mediocre vocalist, mediocre composer and even more mediocre dancer who somehow managed to take his incongruous Messianic megalomania to unparallelled heights, thanks to a less than discerning public who will stare in awe at anything that they're told is amazing.

Pretty strong meat there. It's your opinion and of course you're entitled to it.

So tell me, if you would, who exactly do you regard as a non-mediocre vocalist, a non-mediocre composer and an even less mediocre than that dancer? I'm genuinely intrigued as to to the examples you'll suggest here.

-d-

[refujiunderground]

My opinion on him is that he was the very personification of the concept "overrated". Mediocre vocalist, mediocre composer and even more mediocre dancer who somehow managed to take his incongruous Messianic megalomania to unparallelled heights, thanks to a less than discerning public who will stare in awe at anything that they're told is amazing.

If I have to hear single more person saying "he was so pure", "he was so good" or anything of that sort, I am going to vomit. He was a proven pedophile who was saved by the racial victimization he shamelessly exploited whenever someone criticized him for his actions (curious, when you take into account that he so desperately wanted to be Caucasian), the best legal representation that money can buy and, during his second trial, the prosecution's sheer stupidity and incompetence.

And please, a charity single doesn't make anyone a saint - have you not learned anything from execrable media manipulators like Bono, Sean Penn or Angelina Jolie? These individuals use the suffering of others to promote themselves, and seek sainthood in the process while pretending to criticize the same system they carelessly perpetuate, because it has made them wealthy and powerful. Returning to Michael Jackson, he squandered outrageous amounts of money on whimsical purchases, an increasingly luxurious lifestyle that even someone with his level of income couldn't support, and "parties" with children where "Jesus Juice" (and, I have no doubt, other types of juices) ran free. What exactly did he do for the poor and destitute of the world? Mention them once or twice during promotional interviews, between complaining about how life had mistreated him and inviting people to buy his albums?

Honestly, some people have bizarre ideas about what being a "humanitarian" truly consists of. Oh. and it's not called building people up and then tearing them down. It's called calling them on their self-aggrandizing bullshit.

who is your favorite artist by the way?

[derelictdarrel]

What makes you think that? Your intuition? Faith?

I have no opinions as I never met the poor man.

I don't know, maybe because of how blown out of proportion, drawn out and inconclusive the situation was. None of the so called 'victims' made any official statements. The victims are in their 30's now, surely they could clear something up by now. Unless of course Rupert Murdoch wrote them a bigger check to keep their traps shut..Somebody was being molested. It was the media bending over MJ.

If he really was a kid diddler, he would have went the way of Gary Glitter. He would eventually done something to further incriminate him, MJ may be a musical 'genius', but I don't think he's nearly cunning enough to pull off anything like this under the best discretion. You heard about his other exploits, he's crazy than a shithouse-rat. Easy enough to tack on 'pederast' on top of it. Government owns the media, media has employees, story's create jobs.

Implying this thread only asks for my opinion, there you have it. I don't really care if i'm correct. It does make for some tin-foil-hat dialogue i'll admit