Will the bad overshadow the good in Michael Jackson's storied life? It's a question to be asked. How will he ultimately be remembered: as the musical genius he once was, or the bizarre and scandal-plagued oddity he morphed into?Michael's Legacy: Bad or Bad?
By Marc Schneider Posted Jul 2nd 2009 10:32AM
Will the bad overshadow the good in Michael Jackson's storied life? It's a question to be asked. How will he ultimately be remembered: as the musical genius he once was, or the bizarre and scandal-plagued oddity he morphed into?At the height of his fame, he was among the world's most beloved figures. Heads of state clamored to meet him, fans fainted in his presence, statues were raised in his honor. He had a string of albums and music videos that literally changed the planet. 'Thriller' sold more than 50 million albums. He broke the color barrier on MTV. He also dedicated time and money to dozens of causes and charities, and was responsible for co-writing 'We Are the World' for African famine relief.
But as Jackson's fame grew, his eccentricities, from his strange affinity for children and all things childlike, to his at times asexual image to his fascination with plastic surgery, began to dull the shine off of his sparkling image. As the years went by, those "eccentricities" would become more bizarre, and completely tarnish it.
His skin, once a dark brown, became the color of paste, a transition he blamed on the skin disease vitiligo, though some believed he simply bleached his skin in order to appear more Caucasian. That belief was rooted in his frequent plastic surgeries, which whittled his nose from a broad frame to an almost impossibly narrowed bridge. His image was a tough one to look at, much less embrace.
If his plastic surgery made him disturbingly unwatchable, soon, allegations of child abuse would make him reviled among many. He was first accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy in 1993; no charges were ever filed, a civil lawsuit was settled out of court and he always maintained his innocence. A criminal charge of molestation of another young boy in 2004, which resulted in his acquittal in 2005, further stripped his marketability and his legacy.
After the trial ended, he went into seclusion. He was overwhelmed with legal and financial troubles, with what seemed like weekly lawsuits against him seeking money owed.
A comeback seemed to be most unlikely. His reputation was considered irreparably damaged, his image mocked and his name an automatic punchline. But when he announced he'd be doing a series of comeback concerts at London's famed O2 Arena, not only did the initial dates sell out immediately, the demand was so insatiable he was signed on for an unprecedented 50 shows.
He was expected to embark on a worldwide tour sometime after the concert series was completed in March.
But there'll be no comeback. Only years and years of pondering on what could have been from a fallen star.
PopEater readers believe Jackson will ultimately be remembered for the music of his solo career (56%), and not the controversies (30%) that seemed to follow him from era to era. Around 14% of voters wish to remember him for his days in the Jackson 5.
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Will the bad overshadow the good in Michael Jackson's storied life? It's a question to be asked. How will he ultimately be remembered: as the musical genius he once was, or the bizarre and scandal-plagued oddity he morphed into?Will the bad overshadow the good in Michael Jackson's storied life? It's a question to be asked. How will he ultimately be remembered: as the musical genius he once was, or the bizarre and scandal-plagued oddity he morphed into?Will the bad overshadow the good in Michael Jackson's storied life? It's a question to be asked. How will he ultimately be remembered: as the musical genius he once was, or the bizarre and scandal-plagued oddity he morphed into?Will the bad overshadow the good in Michael Jackson's storied life? It's a question to be asked. How will he ultimately be remembered: as the musical genius he once was, or the bizarre and scandal-plagued oddity he morphed into?Will the bad overshadow the good in Michael Jackson's storied life? It's a question to be asked. How will he ultimately be remembered: as the musical genius he once was, or the bizarre and scandal-plagued oddity he morphed into?Will the bad overshadow the good in Michael Jackson's storied life? It's a question to be asked. How will he ultimately be remembered: as the musical genius he once was, or the bizarre and scandal-plagued oddity he morphed into?
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His skin, once a dark brown, became the color of paste, a transition he blamed on the skin disease vitiligo, though some believed he simply bleached his skin in order to appear more Caucasian. That belief was rooted in his frequent plastic surgeries, which whittled his nose from a broad frame to an almost impossibly narrowed bridge. His image was a tough one to look at, much less embrace.
At the height of his fame, he was among the world's most beloved figures. Heads of state clamored to meet him, fans fainted in his presence, statues were raised in his honor. He had a string of albums and music videos that literally changed the planet. 'Thriller' sold more than 50 million albums. He broke the color barrier on MTV. He also dedicated time and money to dozens of causes and charities, and was responsible for co-writing 'We Are the World' for African famine relief.
But as Jackson's fame grew, his eccentricities, from his strange affinity for children and all things childlike, to his at times asexual image to his fascination with plastic surgery, began to dull the shine off of his sparkling image. As the years went by, those "eccentricities" would become more bizarre, and completely tarnish it.
His skin, once a dark brown, became the color of paste, a transition he blamed on the skin disease vitiligo, though some believed he simply bleached his skin in order to appear more Caucasian. That belief was rooted in his frequent plastic surgeries, which whittled his nose from a broad frame to an almost impossibly narrowed bridge. His image was a tough one to look at, much less embrace.
If his plastic surgery made him disturbingly unwatchable, soon, allegations of child abuse would make him reviled among many. He was first accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy in 1993; no charges were ever filed, a civil lawsuit was settled out of court and he always maintained his innocence. A criminal charge of molestation of another young boy in 2004, which resulted in his acquittal in 2005, further stripped his marketability and his legacy.
After the trial ended, he went into seclusion. He was overwhelmed with legal and financial troubles, with what seemed like weekly lawsuits against him seeking money owed.
A comeback seemed to be most unlikely. His reputation was considered irreparably damaged, his image mocked and his name an automatic punchline. But when he announced he'd be doing a series of comeback concerts at London's famed O2 Arena, not only did the initial dates sell out immediately, the demand was so insatiable he was signed on for an unprecedented 50 shows.
He was expected to embark on a worldwide tour sometime after the concert series was completed in March.
But there'll be no comeback. Only years and years of pondering on what could have been from a fallen star.
PopEater readers believe Jackson will ultimately be remembered for the music of his solo career (56%), and not the controversies (30%) that seemed to follow him from era to era. Around 14% of voters wish to remember him for his days in the Jackson 5.
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n our continuing effort to bring you the multitude of Michael Jackson stories unfolding on the Internet - while still covering the rest of the entertainment world - we have another roundup of the new stories we didn't hit here at PopEater.
MJ Face in the Clouds Over NYC?: A FOX TV News local NY affiliate posted some pictures taken by viewers... of clouds that resemble Michael Jackson's profile, overlooking New York City.
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sMichael Jackson, the charismatic musician who came to be known as The "King of Pop,' has died at the age of 50.
Michael's brother Jermaine, during a brief statement at the hospital, said the following: "My brother, the legendary King of Pop Michael Jackson, passed away on Thursday, June 25 at 2:26 pm. It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until results of an autopsy are known. His personal physician who was with him at the time attempted to resuscitate my brother, as did the the paramedics transported him to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Upon arriving at the hospital at approximately 1:14pm, a team of doctors including emergency physicians and cardiologists attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour, and were unsuccessful. My family requests that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time, and may all love be with you, Michael, always."
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