Michael Jackson, Entertainer and Eccentric Celebrity, is Dead

"Michael Jackson dead at 50"
CNN (June 25, 2009)

"Entertainer Michael Jackson has died after being taken to a hospital on Thursday after suffering cardiac arrest, CNN has confirmed.

"Jackson, 50, had been in a coma at the hospital, sources told CNN.

"Brian Oxman, a Jackson family attorney, said he was told by brother Randy Jackson that Michael Jackson collapsed at his home in west Los Angeles, California, Thursday morning.

"Family members were told of the situation and were either at the hospital or en route, Oxman said...."

A few years ago, someone rather unkindly described Michael Jackson as 'a black man trying to look like a white woman.' For whatever reason, Michael Jackson's appearance had changed drastically since he was part of The Jackson Five.

He's been entertaining people from the Soul Train days to the recent "Banda sonora" - there's a pretty good filmography of Michael Jackson on IMDB.com.

I don't know whether Michael Jackson will be most remembered for his music and dancing, or as a celebrity whose eccentricities were remarkable even by American entertainment industry standards.

A lifestyle that included demonstrating his ability to hold an infant over a balcony railing and befriending Bubbles earned Mr. Jackson the nickname "Wacko Jacko."

Celebrities having friends called Bubbles isn't all that odd. But Bubbles was a chimpanzee.

There's an obituary of sorts of Mr. Jackson at news.co.nz: "Michael Jackson's life as 'Wacko Jacko'."

Then there was the unpleasantness about Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch.

That's Michael Jackson the man. Michael Jackson the entertainer is another matter. I've seen video of his performances, and agree that he was a capable singer and dancer. Happily for Mr. Jackson's fans, those videos and sound recordings will be around for the foreseeable future.