On this day in 2009 - shock waves rocked the music world when pop superstar Michael Jackson died. For younger generations - the death of Michael Jackson was equivalent to how the death of John Lennon impacted the Boomer generation.
Michael Jackson was 50 years old when he died - but he died when he was still a child. Michael was found unconscious and unresponsive in his bed at 2:26 pm Los Angeles time. The star’s personal physician - Dr. Conrad Murray discovered the body - called 911and Michael was pronounced dead at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Attempts to revive him enroute to the hospital failed. High levels of antidepressants and the anesthetic propofol were found in Michael’s body.
Propofol is a popular anesthetic often used during colonoscopies and is not a drug that should ever be administered in a home setting. For his role in providing propofol for Michael Jackson - Dr. Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to prison. Murray was released after serving 2 years and continued to pursue a medical career opening up a medical center in Trinidad and Tobago in 2023.
Michael Jackson’s life and career were splattered with controversy. Michael was married twice - once to Lisa Marie Presley - Elvis Presley’s daughter. He was also married to Debbie Rowe with whom he had 2 children. But were they really his children and did Michael Jackson actually have sex with Debbie Rowe? One can argue that was an unfair question - but it was a question nonetheless.
In 1993 - there were sexual abuse allegations against Michael Jackson involving a 13-year-old boy. Michael denied the allegations and settled the case out-of-court for $25 million - no criminal charges were filed.
In 2005 - Michael Jackson faced multiple counts of child molestation charges again involving another 13-year-old boy. Michael was found NOT GUILTY by a jury and Michael’s people described the charges as a “desperate money grab.”
The idea of overly zealous and opportunistic parents claiming their sons were sexually molested by Michael Jackson is possible. People have been known to lie in an attempt to get a big payoff from a celebrity.
The movie, “Michael,” a biographical movie about Michael Jackson was released this year and the direct involvement of Michael Jackson’s family lends to the credibility of the movie’s accuracy. Grant it - Michael’s family would have an interest in protecting his image - but it’s also possible that his family knew a side of Michael none of us knew until we saw the movie.
The idea of a grown man - Michael Jackson - spending so much time with children and having sleepovers with children - leads to the belief that Michael Jackson was a pedophile - which I did believe when the stories were first coming out. Over the years - I came to believe that it was possible that Michael suffered from arrested development and having been robbed of a childhood by a dictatorial dad who thought only of money and using his children to achieve a vicarious musical success he was never able to achieve on his own - I became open to the strong possibility that Michael Jackson did - indeed - have a completely non-sexual desire to have childlike relationships with children.
The movie - “Michael” - revealed a very sad and lonely young Michael who was robbed of a childhood that many of us experienced and he saw his stuffed animals as his actual friends. When I saw the movie I became convinced that Michael Jackson was a rare individual who wanted to experience the childish behavior that escaped his life.
“Michael” was very well done and his real-life nephew - Jaafar Jackson - completely captured Michael. It was like watching a video of Michael’s real life. Juliano Valdi portrayed Michael in his younger years and he was also excellent in this role and Coleman Domingo was so good as Joseph Jackon - Michael’s dad - that you grew to hate him as the movie evolved.
Michael Jackson was a truly creative artist who did not follow in anyone’s footsteps. Michael Jackson was an original and not many artists are true originals. Michael’s creative concepts - his unique and original dance moves - and his ability to follow his inner voice - make Michael Jackson one of the world’s most talented and unique performers. This is the day the world lost one of the great ones.
When John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, and Michael Jackson died - generations were left with a deep feeling of emptiness and a sense of insecurity. Music and the artists who create the music that becomes part of our persona - our lives - and the loss of those artists who create the music that defines our generation - carries an intense feeling of uncertainty.
When an artist like Michael Jackson dies - we know that the music we selected as a soundtrack of our lives will only be remembered - and will never to be new again.
RIP - Michael! And Thank You!
