MJ - The Man, The Icon, The Legend

I'd be remiss to not say anything on the ol' blog about Michael Jackson. At the same time, what can I say that hasn't been said? The timing of his death is ironic -- Thembi said what I'd been thinking and that's that he died before he could make his true "comeback" whether it would've been during his 50-date tour in London or if it would've been some other time... I think we were all, whether vocal critics, or silent supporters, waiting on him to snap out of it and get back to the MJ we all loved and revered.

Maybe what we all failed to realize was that in being as amazing as he was, he had to give a whole lot of himself including what some of us might call his sanity. In any case, no matter what, Michael Jackson leaves a legacy that deserves respect. As much as it broke my heart to see pictures of him in the last decade, to watch his physical appearance change so drastically as if he hated everything he was, that was his life and those were his demons. They weren't for me or anyone else to comment on, though -- because we all felt we could -- we did anyway.

Now that he's gone, I'm interested in watching the way the mainstream media (MSM), who as Rippa points out, was so much a part of MJ's downfall, will give him respect while taking it away all at the same time. Whether he "got off" for crimes he actually committed or not -- none of that has bearing on the amazing musical genius he was or what sort of everlasting effect his efforts will have on music forevermore. Unfortunately there are some out there who will try their darndest to make sure it does.

Ultimately, I say nevermind to all of them. The truth of the matter is, if we all really do start with the "Man in the Mirror" we'll find that probably in our own sort of way, we weren't all that much better than they were at times.

R.I.P. Michael -- it doesn't matter if they give you your props today or 20 years from now, because your work will forevermore, as it always has, speak volumes for itself.