Mike on Fire: Revisionist History

In light of the barrage of celebrity deaths in the last couple of weeks, I wanted to touch on a subject that has bothered me for quite some time. Why does a person's death all of the sudden make them a picture perfect person who always "brought a smile to everyone's face"? I am so sick of every single person being completely glorified once they die. Now before I delve into specific examples of this, I want to clarify that I'm not saying that some people do not deserve the praise and mourning after their passing. Obviously people are not going to talk ill of someone else right after they have passed, but there needs to be some sort of line that exists between mourning and remembering a person, and just making shit up about them. I've always found it funny to read obituaries or experience the reaction that a person's death garners from others. I don't think a death has ever passed that I can remember without the ridiculous cliches being spewed from those who knew the person. My favorite of these gems is when somebody says a person "Always had a smile on his/her face and brightened up the room every time they entered no matter what mood everybody was in". Bullshit. I know a great number of wonderful people who are destined for heaven and not a single one of them fits this criteria. No matter how good your spirits are, everybody has down days and dark moments. Nobody is squeaky clean and a picture of happiness all the time. It's impossible to maintain any sense of sanity without being an asshole every now and then. You need to be allowed to be in a bad mood, as long as you are a good person overall you will be remembered fondly. My problem lies with the fact that some people are strongly disliked during their lifetime for a number of reasons and are then viewed as some grand human being upon their passing.

A perfect example of this case is the recent passing of Michael Jackson and the shocking reaction nationwide that followed. Let's establish a background about MJ's life first in order to gain a better understanding of the public's perspective of him. Michael was beloved as a child in the Jackson 5 and created the definitive music of the 80's. He was a worldwide sensation as an entertainer and made an insane amount of money. Michael Jackson was an icon in every sense of the word. However, for the last 10 years he was nothing but a giant punchline. Years of plastic surgery and bizarre behavior caused him to become a polarizing figure and fueled his subsequent disappearance from the public eye. Charges of child molestation ruined his image and reputation and his inappropriate antics were lampooned almost nightly on the likes of Leno and Letterman. The man was barely recognizable from what he once was. In the early 80's he was a handsome and charismatic black man who empowered many people within his race as well as other cultures. By the 2000's he was shell of his former self in appearance and stature. Here's where things get interesting. In the midst of making a comeback attempt, MJ tragically died at the young age of 50. All of the sudden, all of those people who had turned their their back on him and were mocking him for the last few years are in deep mourning at this loss. Don't get me wrong, it is sad to hear that he has passed on, but the reaction is on par with what you would expect if he died after Thriller, not after years of being a social pariah and the brunt of others criticism and humor. The news coverage was extensive, the outpouring of love was suddenly overwhelming, and the funeral was held at a packed out Staples Center with celebrities and fans alike. His funeral was at the fucking Staples Center, for Christ sake! All of this just makes me chuckle because it shows how hypocritical society is. Where were all these people when Michael was in legal trouble, had financial issues, and really needed the support of the public? They were shitting on him for being a weirdo. But now that he's dead he is again looked at with reverence and treated like an entertainment deity. I guess my overall point to this rant is that, yes, Michael Jackson was an unbelievable and revolutionary performer. And yes, he should be remembered for that aspect of his life and the lives and careers he impacted. But let's not forget the fact that he had been known for years as Wacko Jacko and how he alienated countless numbers of fans with his inappropriate and possibly illegal behavior. There is a good and bad side to every person. And while Michael may have had a tough time in his life because of his lost childhood and meteoric rise to super stardom, that doesn't mean we should neglect realizing that he had plenty of detractors as well as well as supporters. At the end of the day, Michael was a great performer and a very bizarre, polarizing figure. With him and with others, death should not make people lose perspective of what someone really was during their lifetime.