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How Constant Change Killed Jackson
It was significant that Quincy Jones, composer of film scores par excellence, produced Jackson’s album Off the Wall. The two had met when Jackson played the scarecrow in the movie version of The Wiz, whose musical score Jones had arranged. From then on—if you will pardon the outrageous comparison—just as Wagner had combined theater, symphonic music, painting, and literature in his operas, Jackson created his own special fusion of pop song, show tune, film score, music video, and robotic pantomime in his music and his performances. He poured his hybridity into his art.
Jackson’s success was to make this capacity to pour the odd angles of his nature into fantasy available to everyone who listened to his music. You cannot listen to “Thriller”—song or album—without starting to dramatize yourself in some made-up situation or another. It’s no coincidence that Jackson’s rise happened at the same time as the rise of the Walkman (remember that?), a device that allowed you to move through your days to your very own musical score, as if you were starring in your very own movie.
That’s as it should be: We are all hybrids to some degree, and fantasy is the only one of two places where our conflicting aspects work in harmony. The other place is sleep, into which fantasy sometimes rushes headlong when life overwhelms it. That is the other, fatal, quality of hybrids. They hunger for—as the tabloids are putting it in Jackson’s sad case—“potentially lethal sleep.”
Lee Siegel has written about culture and politics and is the author of three books: Falling Upwards: Essays in Defense of the Imagination; Not Remotely Controlled: Notes on Television; and, most recently, Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob. In 2002, he received a National Magazine Award for reviews and criticism.
John Talks Joe
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
Amateur Hour at the White House
Leslie H. Gelb, a former New York Times columnist and senior government official, is author of Power Rules: How Common Sense Can Rescue American Foreign Policy (HarperCollins 2009), a book that shows how to think about and use power in the 21st century. He is president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Going Rogue: The Index
Christopher Buckley's books include Supreme Courtship, The White House Mess, Thank You for Smoking, Little Green Men, and Florence of Arabia. He was chief speechwriter for Vice President George H.W. Bush, and is editor-at-large of ForbesLife magazine. His new book is Losing Mum and Pup, a memoir. Buckley's Daily Beast column is the winner of an Online Journalism Award in the category of Online Commentary.
Obama, the Un-decider
Lee Siegel has written about culture and politics and is the author of three books: Falling Upwards: Essays in Defense of the Imagination; Not Remotely Controlled: Notes on Television; and, most recently, Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob. In 2002, he received a National Magazine Award for reviews and criticism.
Leave Palin Alone
Lee Siegel has written about culture and politics and is the author of three books: Falling Upwards: Essays in Defense of the Imagination; Not Remotely Controlled: Notes on Television; and, most recently, Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob. In 2002, he received a National Magazine Award for reviews and criticism.
Obama's Dangerous Obsession
Lee Siegel has written about culture and politics and is the author of three books: Falling Upwards: Essays in Defense of the Imagination; Not Remotely Controlled: Notes on Television; and, most recently, Against the Machine: Being Human in the Age of the Electronic Mob. In 2002, he received a National Magazine Award for reviews and criticism.
Other Notable Hybrids:
Arnold Swartzenegger - Body builder/actor/politician
Jesse Ventura - Wrassler/politician/straight talker
Matt Damon - Actor/bright mind/future politician
Leonard Cohen - Poet/singer/legend/monk
George Harrison - Musician/enlightened soul
Al Franken - comedian/politician
Muhammed Ali - Boxer/poet/superstar with real gonads
Mike Tyson - Boxer/convict
James Brown - Singer/dancer/convict
George Foreman - Boxer/preacher/huckster with
lovable personality
Paul Newman - Actor/decent human being/altruistic mogul
Woody Allen - Actor/director/pedophile
John McEnroe - Tennis legend/erstwhile rockstar/tv
commentator
Ed Harris - Actor/oughtabe country singer
Hillary Clinton - Attorney/wife/politician/non-singer
Oprah Winfrey - Actress/mogul/tv personality
Dick Cheney - Government contractor/V.P./creep
Karl Rove - Creep/political advisor/creepy creep
"male Elvis who...gyrated his pelvis like a female stripper, rather than thrusting like a copulating man."
=================
Huh?
What is that supposed to mean? "...thrusting like a copulating man."
Where does that comes from?
Sure is a strange thing to say.
"Breaking his nose during a live performance when he was in his early 20s, he had several nose jobs that transformed his looks."
===============
And your source is?
Source ? You need a freaking source ?
Are your eyes lying to you, or are you one
of Michael Jackson's delusional fans who
refuse to accept or see the truth.
Look at the transformational photos
from the 1970's to 2000's.
You don't need a " source ."
I'm looking at The Man In The Mirror,
I'm asking him to CHANGE HIS . . . . FACE !
Look. There is an incredible amount of garbage being presented as journalism. A lot of it has been based on pure speculation. After I wrote that, I heard the details on an interview, which are worth something. Why not? The worst by far have been the British tabloids. Have you taken a look at them? Total slime. Nothing more than slime. And, yes, that DOES bother me.
"Hybrids escape their conflicted nature into the theatrical. Hybrids are usually actors, and those who aren't often seek to escape into the theater's impersonality, into its surrender of self."
========================
What the f*** are you talking about? That statement makes no sense. You still haven't defined or explained what you mean by "a hybrid." And I'm sorry to say, but what you say here makes no sense whatsoever.
mwoman, in your determination to be offended you seem to be getting ahead of yourself. he explains what he means by "hybrib" over and over through example.
slow down and re-read this and you'll catch what he means. its well worth your further attention; the man presents some excellent observations on pop culture.
Okay.
It's been a long time since I been here, so I'll take a second look, and see if I can understand what you're talking about...
I have never shied away from an intellectual battle or challenge.
Actually, what you said here,
"mwoman, in your determination to be offended you seem to be getting ahead of yourself...
...slow down and re-read this and you'll catch what he means. its well worth your further attention..."
I instinctively sniggered.
Actually, I sniggered every time I read went there.
I would have emphasized maybe one word. Not even sure which one....
Awesome.
And that's hard to do!
I'm impressed.
The only thing I would have changed is this.
Oh, man. Don't know if I'm ready for this...
I am determined to be offended you say, and, well, when I read that I could feel its humor. My goodness...
(i.e., in the last sentence I would have emphasized "feel" if I knew how, but I'm a real dummy about technical stuff.)
So what does this princess look like?
Ms. Determined, a.k.a. Feminist (active) Also a little bit crazy... hahaha. No doubt radical, hardcore, Black Feminist, who believes in the Black Power Movement, was nurtured on the idea of POWER TO THE PEOPLE! Angela Davis and The Black Panther Movement. And others... Operation Push, Jesse Jackson up close when still in high school. Hell, those were my models. That's who I followed. So know what's coming next?
Know what?
Black culture taught me and helped me shape some of the most significant and essential lessons of life. I learned first and most importantly that love was a driving force of the life. Somehow, you exuded the idea of love. And it was visible. I learned to always send out good vibes. I learned to be spiritual. There was a tangible bond, but you had to be a part of it, to see or feel it. The community never shunned you either. When you had problems, the community came together and comforted you.
Black Culture needs to be recognized for its Contributions to Society.
And so far, it hasn't.
It provided me with a wonderful role model on how to live a descent and honest and loving life and caring and giving life, a model of Compassion.
I always tell one of my best friends, Royce, who comes from St. Thomas, a real islander, I KNOW I was a Black woman in another life!
And we laugh and we laugh....
So, yeah.
I don't know if I answered your question, if that's what it was I was trying to do at the start, but I did my best. You know, you have to make exceptions when dealing with a madwoman or a madman.
HAHAHAHA
Ah... Now those were great days of intellectual wonder and exploration and mind expansion.
A truly radical contribution to history.
I found myself laughing at myself for the first time! And the laughs just keep rolling in.
HAHAHA
THANKS!
Does it matter now?
http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-289973
"He poured his hybridity into his art."
=========
Another unsubstantiated assertion. Still haven't defined what you mean by "hybridity."
Man. If this is what you can expect from journalism today, we're in trouble.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
"...home of schoolmarms?"
Sorry. Can't help it but-call me naive-I have no idea what you mean?
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
Okay.
It's been a long time since I been here, so I'll take a second look, and see if I can understand what you're talking about...
I have never shied away from an intellectual battle or challenge.
Actually, what you said here,
"mwoman, in your determination to be offended you seem to be getting ahead of yourself...
...slow down and re-read this and you'll catch what he means. its well worth your further attention..."
I instinctively sniggered.
Actually, I sniggered every time I read went there.
I would have emphasized maybe one word. Not even sure which one....
Awesome.
And that's hard to do!
I'm impressed.
The only thing I would have changed is this.
Oh, man. Don't know if I'm ready for this...
I am determined to be offended you say, and, well, when I read that I could feel its humor. My goodness...
(i.e., in the last sentence I would have emphasized "feel" if I knew how, but I'm a real dummy about technical stuff.)
So what does this princess look like?
Ms. Determined, a.k.a. Feminist (active) Also a little bit crazy... hahaha. No doubt radical, hardcore, Black Feminist, who believes in the Black Power Movement, was nurtured on the idea of POWER TO THE PEOPLE! Angela Davis and The Black Panther Movement. And others... Operation Push, Jesse Jackson up close when still in high school. Hell, those were my models. That's who I followed. So know what's coming next?
Know what?
Black culture taught me and helped me shape some of the most significant and essential lessons of life. I learned first and most importantly that love was a driving force of the life. Somehow, you exuded the idea of love. And it was visible. I learned to always send out good vibes. I learned to be spiritual. There was a tangible bond, but you had to be a part of it, to see or feel it. The community never shunned you either. When you had problems, the community came together and comforted you.
Black Culture needs to be recognized for its Contributions to Society.
And so far, it hasn't.
It provided me with a wonderful role model on how to live a descent and honest and loving life and caring and giving life, a model of Compassion.
I always tell one of my best friends, Royce, who comes from St. Thomas, a real islander, I KNOW I was a Black woman in another life!
And we laugh and we laugh....
So, yeah.
I don't know if I answered your question, if that's what it was I was trying to do at the start, but I did my best. You know, you have to make exceptions when dealing with a madwoman or a madman.
HAHAHAHA
Ah... Now those were great days of intellectual wonder and exploration and mind expansion.
A truly radical contribution to history.
I found myself laughing at myself for the first time! And the laughs just keep rolling in.
HAHAHA
THANKS!
It's called a dictionary mwoman, look it up. You're the one passing yourself off as a wordsmith.
Spaticula...
Don't know if you'll ever come back here, but I accidentally traveled backwards through the Internet.
Know what I mean?
So when I came across your comment, I just HAD to stop and respond. (That's how it goes with the Internet, isn't it?)
I thought back REALLY hard and do not EVER remember claiming I was a wordsmith. I have said A LOT of other things about myself, but I never said anything near to what you suggest.
"It's called a dictionary mwoman, look it up. You're the one passing yourself off as a wordsmith."
Really.
You make me appear more presumptuous than I really am.
I rarely suggest I am anything at all.
But may I suggest that you have a problem of sorts?
With what I have no idea.
But is it unacceptable, or something, to express ignorance here?
Sometimes you have to move beyond a dictionary.
And please, don't spread false information about me.
Really would appreciate that.
Thanks.
You're quoting or referencing the tabloids? Why in the world would you do that? They have no credibility.
Pathetic piece of journalism.
This is pseudointellectual drivel. It would be boring and vapid even as cocktail party chatter.
Agreed.
Hey, I think you're right!
yo people - chill on the journalism rag - this is not journalism, it's a poetic tribute, a funerary speech
it doesn't have to make sense,
appreciate this writer's willingness to express some feeling, without getting hyperbolic
leave it at that
I agree. This is a poetic tribute from an observer of culture. Among all the endless chatter about MJ, this piece makes fresh connections and adds something original to the discussion.
In retrospect, the best advice so far.
Early success always make man manic and Jackson was killed by this tremendous success. there are many great artist who killed themselves because they did not sustain success humble way. Marlin Monroe, Oscar Wild,Mozart,any many other they get tremendous success in early age they could not sustain this success and their life was tragic.
I agree with you completely.
Many geniuses or highly exceptional or influential and normal...if you can even use that word, as though it means anything. It has been documented that there is a preponderance of these people who show symptoms of psychological and emotional distress.
Highly gifted, human beings suffer from psychiatric disorders, if you wanna get technical about it. It's been established in several works, if we are to believe what is written. That's just the way it goes.
Wow.
I sit here and meditate on what normal people look like.
Because I certainly know I am NOT normal.
Yeah, I sit here and fantasize about their physical appearance.
I often see this really WASPY guy, about Gatsby's age, in a finely tailored suit. I have no idea why I draw these images, I mean I could be drawing other images, don't you think?
So that's a staple fantasy of mine under the category of normal.
But, yeah. To return to the topic of madness and creative genius...several scientists believe there is a link.
And finally, they never ever really fit in. They were always outsiders. Even Oscar Wilde, who I think had success when alive.
Drug addictions galore.
Alcoholism.
Extreme mood shifts.
And incredibly at high risk for suicide.
But that's just one part of the story.
But my guess is Michael Jackson is definitely a member of the Famous Group of Perhaps Bizarre Deaths.
I guess what I'm saying is...
I am SURE Michael Jackson went straight to Rock 'n Roll Heaven. And that was probably the first of many stops along the way.
Amen.
It is an interesting take on popular culture.
It would be more interesting if you had some credible sources/professional research to support your position.
You said, what I could not express, but felt and thought.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
Hm. Yeah, I agree with everything you say, Spasticula.
Michael Jackson had A LOT of problems, especially his self-consciousness about his appearance. Plus I should add I LOVED the shifts in his appearance. He just kept on evolving, using plastic surgery. Sick? Who knows? I bet those surgeries were incredibly painful (I don't know anyone who has had one) and painkillers are probably part of the course of recovery, except for the slight problem that several people get addicted to them.
However, what he offered to his fans was an evolving image and concept of beauty he imagined for himself. And, it had worked on several occasions. His fans loved his transformations.
Even when there was nothing left to push or tuck, when it all had gone terribly wrong, his fans still loved him. They didn't care.
His life was the stuff of Tragedy. And I'm talking about the ancient kind. Fascinating psychological material for those Greeks back then, I bet.
The only thing I question here is your assertion that essentially he refused to grow up and therefore failed in the end, for that reason. It left him "inept at all the things an adult needs to do in life."
Well.
What about his savvy Business sense? Doesn't that count as an "acceptable," and valid adult behavior? Seems so to me.
And what was wrong with making his fantasy world into 3D Reality? Hey, I would never try to stop anyone from doing that. He did it. I would too.
And he was real sharp when it came to producing a will. Nobody will argue that, I hope.
But I agree with you overall.
Michael Jackson was a victim of physical and emotional abuse as a child, by his father, and that can leave someone emotionally crippled and scarred for life.
And probably has numerous ways of manifesting itself, i.e., drug addiction, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc., etc. are just a few possibilities.
Children are the closest thing we have to angels on Earth. Resilient, but also in need of guidance and trust, and abuse shatters them.
Sad to say, but I hope, at least, he is at peace now.
Spasticula is making a lot of sense. Impressive. Lev sent me email. I have left off the quotes.
I did see some interview or something where M.J. went to some shop in a mall and spent some "serious money," (his words) on a chess set and all sorts of other way overpriced meaningless kitch crap.
He walked around the shop picking and picking. Stupid stuff. Waste.
I also read or heard that one of his brothers from the Jackson Five had gone bankrupt and another was stocking the shelves in a supermarket.
You would think Michael Jackson could have / should have provided a couple million to each of his brothers, at some point in time, in an interest bearing trust, or something. It appears he gave them nothing.
He was worth more dead than alive.
He wanted a near death experience - to qualify for hospitalization - and tour cancellation - but it didn't work out the way he planned. For all of his, "We are the world" peace brother and all of that - Michael Jackson behind the mask was selfish. He accidentally took his own life. He violated the contract all of us have with G-d - to get out of his tour contract. His children's children will get to heaven first.
The masks he made the kids wear were cool! Smart. Then when they went out with other kids to the mall, etc nobody knew who they were. They were just some rich kids.
I listen to Duke Ellington who was the greatest American composer in our history, and Louis Armstrong, and Ella, Nat King Cole, and many others from the fifties. I believe their music will outlast Michael Jackson's pop stardom. I wish I could have met a recording engineer named Rudy Van Gelder.
Michael Jackson went very peaceful, slipping away in his drug induced sleep but I cannot believe his self tormented soul is at rest.
Your last sentence was painful to read. I hope that's not what happened to his soul. He will always remain a dilemma. There will be those whom he touched deeply through his music, who were influenced by him at the age of 5-check out the messages left on his site-and continued to be influenced by him for the rest of their lives. That doesn't happen very often.
Everything you say may also be true.
Who knows?
Each person, whether favorably or not, will probably stand behind their version of Michael Jackson. It's not like the kind of thing where you can convince someone who likes him to dislike him, and vice-versa.
I strongly feel that he was living in the wrong century. I could easily have seen him in the world of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome, and, finally, of course, the Renaissance.
But according to the moral standards of our culture, which are based on Puritan ideals, well, there was no way he was gonna survive here unscathed.
Michael Jackson, Howard Hughes, Elvis, and others all suffered from whatever neuroses, mental disorders and addictions they were dealt with. Millions of people have the same problems. The difference is that the super-wealthy and famous flame out in a spectacular way.
Sure he was in the midst of a perfect storm but so are many others. Sadly there are many sexually confused addicts who were abused by their parents. But these people don't have lots of money and adoring fans.
The average person afflicted with these problems loses their job, their home, and their family, die in the gutter, and no one cares.
The poor tortured soul who must suffer for his art mystique is just crap.
BTW, Madonna transforms herself every 15 minutes and she seems to be doing okay. And Michael Jackson's brothers haven't gone off the rails because their fame was usurped by their baby brother.
If MJ hadn't been famous his fate would have been about the same (minust the plastic surgery).
You neglect to mention his talent in your observation. There is a difference between MJ and the average person- Let me put it this way. The person who dies alone in the gutter may have had the potential and ability to produce great things but sadly did not get that opportunity.
MJ continued to develop, evolve, even though he often looked grotesque. It's hard to ignore the genius argument-it's the most obvious!
Anyone who denies Jackson had multiple
surgeries on his face is a delusional Michael fan,
or perhaps one of his "friends," hangers-on if you will.
The tragic part is perhaps Michael didn't have anyone in
his family or circle of friends to tell him, Michael
you look great in the Thriller video, NOW STOP THERE.
You're a handsome guy, don't mess it up.
Maybe it's like someone who suffers anorexia, after
awhile they don't see the real person, similar to Jackson.
=============================================
July/05/2009
From:
octavio
To:
Everybody,
Lee Siegel's writting is exellent;mwoman and
the other negative commment writers need to take (everyday)
some brain enhancing health supplements. E,g; lithium
aspartate or lithium orotate.The negative comment writers
need to listen,watch,and enjoy (appreciate) Michael Jackson's
performances.About Michael Jackson being a freak is secon-
dary to his performances.
Just enjoy his music and let him
rest in peace!
Chao,
octavio,
END!
=============================================
Ok.
It is true that MJ broke his nose which resulted in his first plastic surgery. This is documented. From there, all you have to do is look at pictures from different time periods during his adult life and you can see that he continued to have plastic surgery. This is not documented, but deduced. Anyone with eyes can see the evidence. However, most of this article was commentary therefore the writer doesn't need to prove that MJ had a hybrid personality.(Hybrid = many facets.) Since when can't a blog writer express their opinion? Its an op ed piece, not a deposition! Personally, I think Michael's history of insomnia was exacerbated by his creative mind, I don't think he could shut it off. Therefore, he wanted something to both quiet his mind and sleep. I don't think he wanted to have an emergency to help him get out of the concerts and I definitely don't think he wanted to die. Anyone who thinks that is just guessing (as I am). He wanted his kids to see him perform and he wanted to finish raising his kids, that's my opinion! Rest in peace, MJ.
Thanks for offering an explanation of "hybrid."
I get it now.
And after re-reading your post, I agree with you.
He internalized the American drive for newer, better, faster, happier, perfect.
Americanism killed Michael Jackson.
Michael Jackson LIED about man, many things. Period.
LIED about his children.
LIED about his marriages.
LIED about his appearance.
LIED about his child molestation charges.
LIED about his finances.
LIED to doctors.
He wasn't a very good person. He was dishonest with almost everyone in his life.
...we crave fantasies abt crossing boundaries/coming out - the universal dream - no social/personal limitz.....alzo deeply afraid of the same in real life....e.g., gun ownership....killing to "protect freedom"......pop killz.....alwayz has.....religion wuz 1st pop culture....
a proliferation of discourses on MJ, now its hybridity, okay. but its now clear, the man eludes us that it is tearing some apart. and he is not even here to defend himself!!
Thank you.
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