Mon, Nov 23, 2009
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THE MO'KELLY REPORT: Mijac Does an Elvis Impersonation
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Name:
TGen
Comment: "chaos and comedy will likely be the enduring legacy of Michael Jackson" Maybe for some, but not for me and many others. His music and his longjevity will be his ultimate legacy. His eccentricity will be a paragraph or two of note, but not the theme of the book. True you cannot speak honestly of MJ without mentioning his weirdness, but I truly don't believe for most people, that will overshadow the gift he gave the world--the gift of music and dance and racial and cultural unity. Those are enduring gifts that even your nephew can garner from the retreads on VH1.
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Name:
DOne
Comment: Good piece Mo. I think there is a hugh generational aspect. "His music and his longjevity will be his ultimate legacy. His eccentricity will be a paragraph or two of note, but not the theme of the book" ... TGen, the Evis fan no doubt feels the same; but to the non-fan, especially those who really young or yet to be born when he died; he will always be a weird, overweight white guy in tacky rinestone jumpsuites who married some 14yr girl. Like it or not; there will be people who will view MJ similarily. ... I will say this though, whoever get's control of his estate, if they want to perserve his lecacy for the kids; get Prisilla (spelling) Presley on the phone.
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Name:
MzTee
Comment: M'OK...Excellent piece and like DOne I think you accurately noted the generational aspects of how MiJac will be remembered. For children of the late 60s, 70s and 80s, his music was the backdrop to our childhood and adolesence so his musical genius will be what we treasure and remember. But, for today's young children, whose only memory of Michael is the circus-like atmosphere of his life -- they will undoubtly have a very different view of him. Great suggestion DOne...someone from Michael's family should have a long conversation with Priscilla or the board of directions that control the operations of Graceland.
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Name:
MzTee
Comment: should be -- board of directors
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Name:
Venus
Comment: I mentioned to someone on Friday that the house in Gary, IN should be made into some sort of museum or memorial to Michael. But I think somewhere in California would be appropriate too. Forget about Neverland, I don't think Michael was feeling that place too much after the authorities violated it and him. Great piece as usual, MO'. This is the first time I heard about that issue with "Heartbreak Hotel". I love that song.
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Name:
MorrisOKelly
Comment: I'm most appreciative of the fact that people are getting the most important point.
How we as his intended fans of this generation remember him will not be his legacy.
It's how the next generation decides to remember him. And unfortunately, the last taste in people's mouths is usually the lasting taste.
We ridicule Elvis... and I'm sure Michael will be by the future generation. They have no reason or connection in which not to do so.
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Name:
TJthemilitant
Comment: "Elvis was a hero to most..He never meant shy*t to me he was a straight up racist the sucker was simple and plain..Muthaphuvk him and John Wayne"!!
No comparison! Michael was an extremely talented musical genius..Elvis was famous for 'jackin' our style and rhythm. He even thought eating soul food cooked for him by his black maid would give him more rhythm..LMAO!
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Name:
MER82
Comment: Maybe not. It doesn't have to be that way if WE represent for OUR brother and refuse to let them continue to try and tarnish his legacy.
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Name:
MorrisOKelly
Comment: MER82
But therein lies the rub..."We" weren't all that high on claiming Michael "the person" given the skin bleaching and plastic surgeries. His popularity in the U.S. was largely amongst non-Blacks in these later years.
"We" connect to who he once was long ago...not necessarily to who he was at death. I would argue that Michael doesn't hold that type of place in our hearts given the "chaos and confusion" of his later life. I would even argue that we had written him off years ago.
Can't go back.
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Name:
Kofi
Comment: How ironic it is that Michael has issues with Joe Jackson for stealing his childhood but, MJ must have done some serious damage to his own kids by making them wear a mask in public. Can you imagine them have real childhood friends? Then there is the pesky issue of the fact they are white kids. Their mother sold them off and they don't know who their real father is. It's not like these are going to be well rounded and well balanced kids...hmmm.
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Name:
DOne
Comment: "I would argue that Michael doesn't hold that type of place in our hearts given the "chaos and confusion" of his later life" Mo, now you going to get chased with sticks if you go into one of the other rooms saying that. Now i'm just going to say it; I've been reading kinda objectively because I was never a hugh MJ fan. I liked a lot of the Jackson Five music and some of Michaels' but all. I loved "Beat it", but hated "Billie Jean" I loved "Working Day and Night" and "Off the Wall", but hated "Can't Stop til you Enough". I say this because I never got caught up in the whole Thriller mania, but I will miss him. I just find it interesting that there are some on here who would have been joking and laughing about MJ last week; are now throwing fits if anything "not lovingly" is said
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Name:
MorrisOKelly
Comment: DOne...you're right...but the emotion of this moment will fade. It's not appropriate to say anything "mean" about Michael right now and that's a fair way to go about things. Having respect for the recently departed and their family is in order.
But in terms of legacy...the long-term view of Michael, he's not in our hearts. We loved the Thriller Michael, the Jacksons Triumph Michael. Off-The-Wall Michael. Anyone under the age of 30 has no real memory of that Michael.
It's the people who are 30 and younger who will have the greatest say in shaping the future legacy of MJ.
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Name:
DOne
Comment: I agree MO.
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Name:
DOne
Comment: I also think that clever marketing will play a huge role, if done right. Like I said eariler, Elvis is the model to follow. It will take the marketing to keep him in the minds of the 30 and younger group.
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Name:
MorrisOKelly
Comment: And also, if this funeral/viewing/will turns into a fiasco, then that will have a great say too.
The family can go a long way to set the correct tone moving forward. But Papa Joe seems more concerned about his record company right now.
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Name:
onyxeyes
Comment: I disagree toa certain extent because the impact of media was much greater during Michael's era than it was during Elvis' time. My younger cousins under 30 grew up watching the videos and imitating Mike also. Some of the biggest Mike-imitators in music today are under 30-Usher, Chris Brown, Ne-YO, Justin T. Granted his later antics will tarnish his legacy a little but I think there is less of generational divide because of the amount of media as well. But then again I'm a music history lover so I love the "old" as wella s the new.
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Name:
JAXXIE
Comment: Here's a link showing how Michael's appearance morphed over the years: http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,202877 87_20288708,00.html. This is exactly what today's under 30 generation will be most reminded about Michael. Like MO says, I like the music but came to be upset about what the musician was doing to his physical presence. It's interesting though, that Michael made some very shrewd business deals by buying the music catalogs of the Beatles and other major white performers for which the music industry was powerfully upset. That music industry will be a major player in determining or shaping Michael's advertised legacy in the future.
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Name:
Closet_Nerd_Girl
Comment: Very provocative article. I remember when Elvis died and the hysteria among white people that followed. I love the way you laid out the similarities. I also agree that Michael's generation will remember him differently than the later ones. I grew up in the 60's and 70's, so the Jackson 5 and Michael were a constant in my life. Their music is woven into the threads of my fondest childhood memories. That is the Michael I choose to remember and cherish.
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Name:
Closet_Nerd_Girl
Comment: >JAXXIE- I can't bear to look at that clip. Every time I see the "then and now" pics of Michael, tears well up in my eyes. It truly pains me and breaks my heart that the beautiful young black man that was Michael turned himself into something resembling a circus freak. That process was a serious cry for help, and nobody listened...
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Name:
Teigh
Comment: I would have to agree with Mo'Kelly...we were reminded yesterday of his humanitarian efforts...yet in death MJ was handed back to us. The media, who blew him up as a child and loved him...was the same media who later villified him right up and through the end. My neices don't really have a connection to MJ yet my sister and I played Jackson 5 songs "Maria" "Reach In" "I Am Love" "Body Language"....she wanted to know two things: (1) MJ started out in a boy band? (2) Who is LaToya and how come she never heard of her? (try explaining Latoya to a 10 year old) When my nephew was younger he thought MJ was a girl until I showed him old photos from Right On Magazine. As the facts of what happened become public, as the estate makes decisions, and as the Jacksons make decisions...we will see just how MJ is represented historically. I say his impact will be better appreciated outside the US than within it.
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