Human Interest

Coping with Michael Jackson’s Untimely Death

June 25th, 2009

Today marks the day that Michael Jackson moonwalked off this mortal coil, leaving the rest of us here to reconcile the man, the myths, and the legacy of his music. He spent a lifetime in the spotlight, for better or for worse, and his contributions to our cultural discourse have hit an equal number of high and low notes. Despite what you might think of the man’s personal life, Michael Jackson made an impression on every single person who ever cared about music, and that includes you. So in an effort to help myself (and everyone else) navigate these uncertain emotional waters, I submit to you these tips for coping with the King of Pop’s untimely death.

If you believed in the unstoppable force that was the Jackson Five and continually find yourself watching young Michael’s live performance of “Ben” on YouTube:

Ugh. I know. Was he not the cutest child-prodigy-singing-star-person who ever did live? He could belt it. And more than that: he knew how to shimmy, shake, and slide his way across a stage. But like all reasonably fed human beings that haven’t been stunted in some unfortunate way, Michael grew up. He lost some of that hearty Jackson Five soul singing that made you love him in the first place. He became a teen sensation, recorded Off the Wall and propelled himself into the pop music stratosphere.

So sure, you’re a bit torn up. But the Michael Jackson you fell in love with years ago is a far cry from the Michael Jackson that passed away today. Your memories of him as a young man will be happily preserved for years to come. Plus, you’ll always have the “Ben” video:

If you have delivered a joke regarding Michael Jackson and his relationship with Bubbles the Monkey on more than one occasion but you also recognize that Jackson “had a few jams”:

Bummer, dude. I mean, you were totally into him when you were a kid, but by the time you were a teen Michael Jackson had all but dissolved into a sea of celebrity gossip and frightening before-and-after plastic surgery shots. But dude, remember the Thriller video? That junk was so freaky that you nearly pissed yourself at your friend’s sleepover. Good thing you were wrapped in that sleeping bag so no one noticed the dribble.

If you have been to countless concerts, created multiple Michael Jackson cut-out collages, worn a replica Thriller jacket on any day other than Halloween, and you’ve ridden the roller coaster that is Michael Jackson’s public life while remaining an unwavering defender of his music, lifestyle, and child-like spirit:

Woof. Today’s been tough. And I’m not sure it’s going to get much easier in the coming days (weeks? months?). I can tell that Michael meant a lot to you, and it’s not your acrylic-framed collection of tour t-shirts that was the tip-off; no, it’s probably the way in which you’ve thrown yourself to the floor of your bedroom and refuse to move until someone tells you this is all a dream, that the news people are lying to you and that Michael really is going to kick off his series of London shows next month as planned.

Let it be said: he’s gone.

But his memory remains! His work, his art, his image—all of that stays here with you. That’s yours. That’s your piece of him. We’ve all taken our piece, and some might say that that is the ultimate crime here: Everyone took their piece of Michael and he simply had nothing left to give.

…

Okay, I didn’t mean to start the tears flowing again. My point is that we have all benefited from a man who truly gave everything to make his fans happy. So let’s honor his memory, take our time to talk with that man or woman in the mirror, and move forward with our lives—I like to think he’d want it that way.

Also, you pretty much knew the party was over when Invincible was released.

If you generally think of Michael Jackson as a total creep-ball who spent far too much unsupervised time with children or a narcissistic plastic surgery nut that was slowly transforming into some kind of super alien being or a washed-up hack of sparse musical talent who’s greatest ability was to create late-night comedy fodder:

What are you still doing here? You could give two shits.

Finally, if you remember Michael Jackson for the moments when he truly delivered greatness, when his star shone the brightest, when he made you dance and sing and cry out “sha-moan!” with utter abandon, and when he united the world in song with a true craft and humanity that few others possess:

I know how you feel, and I offer you this sobering video of a man who grew up far too fast and was never able to capture the simple joys of living outside of the spotlight. It’s a meditation on the passage of time, the power of song, and the promise that we never need to feel alone in this world.

It’s also a Pepsi commercial. Enjoy!

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