I just wanted to add a few more random Michael Jackson thoughts to yesterday's blog. Not that the world will really benefit from my thoughts on Michael Jackson or not, but I really don't have anything else to write a blog about!
1. Michael Jackson is the first musician I really remember being aware of. I think I was about 4 when Billie Jean came out. Because we lived in a little hick town with no ability to get cable, I can't reminise about watching Thriller on MTV and trying to memorize it or anything, but I did like to play with my cousin's Michael Jackson Barbie doll.
2. Billie Jean is a really great song to play in Spinning class. When I was instructing Spinning classes, I always tried to get the members to request or suggest songs. I love music and really liked putting together fun and motivating playlists (or at least attempt to have fun and motivating playlists) I loved getting suggestions. Anyway, one lady asked that I play more Michael Jackson. I went over the MJ in my music collection and discovered that Billie Jean is the most perfect song ever for Spinning class. I used it as often as I could get away with and it always got the class going.
3. In kindergarten, I got yelled at my the playground aide for pretending to be Michael Jackson. It was snowy and cold, but a bunch of us were running around with one glove (or mitten) on so we could be Michael Jackson.
4. When I'm working out, my hair gets really sweaty. It also gets really curly, and I have a weird widow's peak that makes big strands of hair fall right in the middle of my forehead. All of this means when I work out, I look like I'm wearing a jheri curl Michael Jackson "Bad" era wig.
5. Vitiligo---Michael Jackson said he's white because he has vitiligo. I can see that. My mom has vitiligo, and it causes white patches on her skin. But not so much an issue for her since she's already white with pale skin. It's not even noticeable. But I can see how for a black person it would be very traumatic. Google images of vitiligo. It's really sad.
6. Nosejobs--I was watching the Martin Bashir documentary of Michael and he was talking about how his dad always made fun of his nose, and it made him self conscious and that's why he got a nosejob (or 17). I can totally relate to this. EVERY.PART.OF.IT. (well, except for the 17 nosejobs. I stopped at one)
7. My mom's conspiracy theory. Again, if you've read my myspace blog, or know my mom, you've already heard this theory. My mom has a foolproof theory about what made Michael Jackson go crazy: castration. Her theory is that when he was a little boy, he was such a huge moneymaker for the family that Joe Jackson didn't want to let his cash cow grow up. Back in the day, they used to castrate opera singers so their voices never changed. My mom thinks they did the same thing to Michael Jackson and that's why he had the high voice, no body hair, and was built like an 11-year old. Also, a castration would kill a sex drive, so maybe we can take his word that his sleeping with little kids was completely innocent (still, I wouldn't send my kids to Neverland for a sleepover). My husband scoffed at this theory the other day, saying that the autopsy would have shown that he had no balls, but my mom clarified her theory, saying he was "chemically" castrated---given female hormones. Who knows? But I do think there are a lot of good points to this theory. Also, Liza Minelli said something very cryptic the other day about how his friends all knew a secret about him and that once the autopsy was over, the shit would hit the wall (so to speak) Who knows? My mom's pretty smart. I believe her on this.
8. I'm going to become Joe Jackson. My son Quinn is a good dancer. I think I need ot make him the new Michael Jackson. In the Michael Jackson documentary, he talked about how his dad Joe would watch the Jackson 5 rehearse with a belt in his hand. If anyone messed up their dance moves, they'd get their ass kicked. Quinn's a really good dancer. He doesn't know any official dance moves, but he moves like Michael Jackson---like he doesn't have any bones and is made of rubber bands. It's pretty amazing. I think I need to get all Joe Jackson on him and make him learn some dances and then he can go be the new Michael Jackson and make me a gazillion dollars.
In fact, it's in the card that Quinn is destined to be the new Michael. His middle name is Michael, named after Michael Jackson.
(I'm kidding. His middle name is Michael, but he is so not named after Michael Jackson. Also, I'm not going to beat him. Please don't report me to the authorities.)
9. That's really all I have to say about MJ right now, but I feel like I should offer a solid 10 random thoughts so I've got to come up with two more. Let me think...
Oh yeah! My favorite Michael Jackson video! Definitely, definitely, definitely his duet with Paul McCartney---"Say Say Say"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gWvBXS2t4A
Mostly I just love it because I lust for Paul McCartney (what I wouldn't give to be Linda McCartney here), but it is good on the Michael Jackson front too. He's so normal looking here, but there are a few little pieces of weirdness. For one, the video is set in the 1910's, but MJ somehow got a Cosby sweater from the future. Two, LaToya Jackson plays his love interest. Three, Michael Jackson gets his first lesson in how to paint his face white from Paul McCartney.
Paul McCartney also dueted on "The Girl is Mine" with Michael Jackson around this era. That song kind of sucks (especially the spoken word portion. Cheesy fries), but still it's nice to see them being good pals. Which makes it really annoying that Michael Jackson went and bought the Beatles song catalog right out from under Paul McCartney. That was kind of a jackholey thing to do.
10. Weird Al Yankovic---I bet he's really sad about Michael Jackson. His career was built on "Eat It" and "Fat". Fat is one of the best videos in all of video history. Sometimes when I start to eat too much crap, I imagine that I expand just like Weird Al, gaining 200 lbs in 30 seconds. I love this video It's so wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqz1ojIQTBk
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I think Al is really sad about MJ. He described his death as a "tragedy." But his career has done very well in the 20 years since he last did a Michael Jackson song. Amish Paradise? Smells Like Nirvana? White & Nerdy?
ReplyDeleteBut there's no doubt that when MJ said "Yes" to Al, it gave his career a huge boost when it needed one. ~OE
Weird Al is pretty awesome. I have nothing but love for Mr. Yankovic. And honestly, I hate to say it but I kind of prefer Fat to Bad. That's sacilicious.
ReplyDeleteSacrilicious, is what the lady meant
ReplyDeleteHi I want to thank you for posting theses videos! I LOVE what you have done here. I have been doing the same thing ever since his death. I have spent countless hours listening to his videos, music, and interviews. I find myself laughing and so tickled at his humor. I also find myself wishing that I could have been a real friend to him in this life. I remember when he debuted on the Ed Sullivan show in 1969 ..40 years ago. I fell in love the moment he opened his mouth. I sang ABC, I Want You Back..did the robot..watched his family's variety show which aired weekly, and his cartoon....endless Michael and Family. I connected to a family. I have loved Michael Jackson for 40 years..and I will love him into eternity...
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