I suppose it is in the way of some people that the mark they leave on the world will be massive. So often these are literary, political or religious figures… but entertainers also hold a dear place in the hearts of the people.
It is with sadness and shock that we witness the death of three such landmarks on the social and entertainment scene. Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahan, and Michael Jackson.
Farrah of course was known for her beauty, Ed for being a great guy and ‘sidekick’, and Michael for his extraordinary talents as a songwriter/performer. He lived locally for many years, and I used to know some of his family years ago. We’ve had many acquaintances who worked for him, and I secretly hoped for years that he would hire me to grow organic foods for his animals when he still lived on ‘Neverland’.
Like so many people of such huge public stature, he was a study in extremes. I suppose the mind that allowed him to envision the lyrics, music and dance moves he was so masterful at, also caused his mind to move in the directions of `socially odd/unacceptable’ behavior, with which he was also known.
When I think of Micheal Jackson.. for some reason washing the floor at the restaurant I worked at as a kid comes to mind. I worked at that restaurant with his cousin, and we would throw hot soapy water onto the greasy tiles of the kitchen floor and scrub them with long handled scrub brushes. But before we lifted the grease with the brushes, we would take a running start and see how far we could slide on the greasy soapy floor on our feet. The reason I think of this is because we usually had music from the `Jackson Five’ playing late at night when we did this clean-up. And we’d play `Rock the Boat’ when we did the `tile surfing’.
I saw a television report today on his death. And one thing that struck me was a Black woman who said that he was great because before he came along, MTV would not play ‘Black Music’. I disagree….. Michael Jackson did not play ‘Black Music’, he was a Black musician for sure. But his music encompassed many styles, and to me is more a style of Rock Music, and appreciated by all peoples. I recall the Michael Jackson/MTV controversy in the early eighties…. when MTV which was ‘pretty much’ a Rock program, was accused of not allowing any Black performers on except for Michael Jackson and Tina Turner…. who to me are ROCK, not ‘Black Music’. MTV was set up for Rock people, not Soul, Hip Hop, Country, World, Celtic or any other style. But MTV didn’t want to seem racist, so in order to add more ‘persons of color’, they started adding Hip Hop. And I stopped watching. I just don’t like the negativity and language in so much Hip Hop.
Both Michael, Ed and Farrah touched many people in a great many ways. I pray for them all, and for their grieving families.
~From The Thirteenth Warrior~
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Are you wearing that long face for me?
I cannot help it
I have only these hands, I will die a pauper
You will be buried as a King
A man might be thought wealthy if someone were to draw the story of his deeds,
that they may be remembered
Such a man might be thought wealthy indeed.
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Remember, we don’t take anything with us when we leave….
Except every action and thought we made in this world.
All packed into a little hard drive we call a soul
And The Creator has the software to examine all contents of the drive