Michael Jackson Madness

[3113]

Well, it's a phenomenon and one that's a mystery to me, but it sure is good for the city of L.A.:

Today's Michael Jackson memorial service at Staples Center may put a strain on city services, but it's turning out to be a shot in the arm for Southern California's slumping tourism industry. Hotels, restaurants, tourist destinations and airlines reported a massive jump over the weekend in business and reservations, and they foresee a continued surge that they hope will jolt the local economy -- at least for a few days.

"The magnitude of this event is 10 to 100 times of any other event we've had," said John Kelly, general manager of the Holiday Inn across the street from the arena where the public memorial is to be held. Within 48 hours of Thursday's announcement that a memorial would be held at Staples Center, all 195 rooms at the hotel were booked, he said. The throngs of visitors -- some flying into Los Angeles from as far away as France and Switzerland -- could give the local economy a $4-million boost in the form of hotel billings, rates, restaurant tabs and souvenir sales, said Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.

... The influx of fans of the late pop singer has had a ripple effect that has reached as far as Pasadena and Long Beach, where hotels reported an increase in bookings this weekend. A spokeswoman for Travelocity.com, the online travel booking site, reported twice as many airline bookings to Los Angeles International Airport between Monday and Wednesday as during the same time last year.

The memorial service is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Concert promoter AEG Live, owner of Staples Center, distributed 17,500 free tickets to the memorial via an e-mail notification process. Only people with valid tickets and unaltered wristbands will be admitted into Staples Center and the neighboring Nokia Theatre, which will simulcast the memorial. But as many as 1 million Jackson fans -- with or without tickets -- are expected to be in Los Angeles for the memorial, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Full article here.

So there was a memorial service at Forest Lawn for the family, and now this gala memorial at the Staples Center (happening now). Guess I should avoid driving the freeways today. The Jackson fans are going to be all over town making their pilgrimages.

Oh, did you know that the concerts in London he was going to do were being called the "This Is It" concerts?

 

[ericahope]

I'll never understand the fascination with the man. Perhaps he was just "before my time". I started listening to pop music in the late 80s and early 90s and by then he had already entered his weirdo stage. So maybe that's it. It's hard to get into someone's music when all you know about them is how creepy they are.

The attention the media lavishes on pop icons makes me want to turn off the TV. I read that people are flying in from Europe and Asia with just the hope that they might get a ticket to this ceremony. Get a life people!!

But I do like the old Jackson 5 stuff. I can't help but dance when "I Want You Back" comes on the radio.

Erica

 

[voluptuary_manque]

It's this vicarious living thing, yanno? If you, yourself, are devoid of a life, without talent, hopeless in love and basically useless to the economy you can still achieve validation for your sorry existence by attaching yourself like a remora to some celebrity. Pathetic, really.

 

[Guest]

When he died this was the talk of the house for the day.....

my roommates that are the same age I am went on and on about how horrible he was and they couldnt understand what the fascination was that he was blah blah blah....

I looked at them both and said um guys he was 50 years old....how many other artists of our time (no matter the other shit they pulled) can say that they have been part of our lives for 40+ years WHILE THEY WERE ALIVE? Yes I know there are some... and I am NOT negating the creepy stuff that he did or was accused of.... but for over 40 years MJ was part of our musical lives.....

 

[3113]

Get a life people!!

This is life, isn't it? I've had something of a change of perspective myself on this whole thing. It's like this, a hospital burns down and that's tragic, but hospitals can be rebuilt. The Mona Lisa get burned to ashes and, well, that can't be replaced. So even though, yeah, this is one guy who died and we might ask what does he matter compared to whatever other tragedy is going on elsewhere, he was one-of-a-kind. It doesn't matter what you feel towards him, he can't be replaced. And thus, his death is a seminal moments for those who were affected by whatever magic he possessed.

We'll agree that the media is stupid and exploitive and never knows what to do or how to handle such issues. No argument that the news channels are obnoxious and annoying. But what people feel, they feel, and what they need to do they do. That's life.

 

[ericahope]

When he died this was the talk of the house for the day.....

my roommates that are the same age I am went on and on about how horrible he was and they couldnt understand what the fascination was that he was blah blah blah....

I looked at them both and said um guys he was 50 years old....how many other artists of our time (no matter the other shit they pulled) can say that they have been part of our lives for 40+ years WHILE THEY WERE ALIVE? Yes I know there are some... and I am NOT negating the creepy stuff that he did or was accused of.... but for over 40 years MJ was part of our musical lives.....

Hi Elizabeth,
We were born in the same year But I guess our different perspective comes from the fact that MJ was never a part of my life, and certainly not for 40+ years (I'm 31) and for the first 10-12 of those or so I wasn't listening to pop music. So MJ wasn't really a part of my pop music life...

The picture of you and your baby is beautiful and adorable, by the way! I assume that is you... Do you write, by any chance?

Erica

 

[ericahope]

This is life, isn't it? I've had something of a change of perspective myself on this whole thing. It's like this, a hospital burns down and that's tragic, but hospitals can be rebuilt. The Mona Lisa get burned to ashes and, well, that can't be replaced. So even though, yeah, this is one guy who died and we might ask what does he matter compared to whatever other tragedy is going on elsewhere, he was one-of-a-kind. It doesn't matter what you feel towards him, he can't be replaced. And thus, his death is a seminal moments for those who were affected by whatever magic he possessed.

We'll agree that the media is stupid and exploitive and never knows what to do or how to handle such issues. No argument that the news channels are obnoxious and annoying. But what people feel, they feel, and what they need to do they do. That's life.

Yes, I see what you mean. There are probably people and things that if they died or were destroyed I would be mourning heavily, but others wouldn't understand. They'd probably tell me to get a life too.

But of course all the people and things I value are worthy of worship and value

I'm kidding, of course! But I still can't think of one person that's not a part of my personal life that I'd drive across the country or fly halfway around the world upon their death to mourn. I think that's pretty fanatical and strange.

Erica

 

[Huckleman2000]

Yes, I see what you mean. There are probably people and things that if they died or were destroyed I would be mourning heavily, but others wouldn't understand. They'd probably tell me to get a life too.

But of course all the people and things I value are worthy of worship and value

I'm kidding, of course! But I still can't think of one person that's not a part of my personal life that I'd drive across the country or fly halfway around the world upon their death to mourn. I think that's pretty fanatical and strange.

Erica

Some people must have an awful lot of money to be able to jet around simply to "be there", but I understand the impulse to be a part of something larger than oneself. There are so few "world" events - Obama Inauguration, the Superbowl, the Olympics, World Cup. Even fewer that aren't a sporting event or political rally. MJ was a truly worldwide figure.

 

[3113]

I'm kidding, of course! But I still can't think of one person that's not a part of my personal life that I'd drive across the country or fly halfway around the world upon their death to mourn. I think that's pretty fanatical and strange.

Fanatical, yes, but strange? People travel half way around the world to see other things: the birth place of Jesus, Mecca, Stonehenge, the Mona Lisa, a concert. I really don't think a person traveling just to see one of these, rather than, say, tour Europe, is any stranger than those who came to LA for this funeral.

Numinous experiences are numinous experiences. Now if you'd like to say that human being having such experiences and reacting so to them is strange, I'd totally agree with you. We are a very strange species

 

[john-the-author]

My favorite Michael Jackson pieces have always been done by Weird Al. I never quite cared for the originals, though I could appreciate the tightness of the parody.

 

[TE999]

I'll never understand this fanatical adoration of celebrities, especially when they're dead. From all the goings on in LA you'd think it was the Second Coming of Christ...with some really funky music.

 

[trysail]

Who allowed the Rt. Rev. Al Sharpton to barge in to this? That man's elbows must be so sharp that they likely qualify as lethal weapons.

He is the definition of the words loud, rabble-rouser, demagogue, obnoxious and hypocrite.

 

[michchick98]

When he died this was the talk of the house for the day.....

my roommates that are the same age I am went on and on about how horrible he was and they couldnt understand what the fascination was that he was blah blah blah....

I looked at them both and said um guys he was 50 years old....how many other artists of our time (no matter the other shit they pulled) can say that they have been part of our lives for 40+ years WHILE THEY WERE ALIVE? Yes I know there are some... and I am NOT negating the creepy stuff that he did or was accused of.... but for over 40 years MJ was part of our musical lives.....

As a child of the 80's Michael Jackson was a big part of my musical life. I still hear his songs on the radio and can't help but turn them up and either sing along or dance in my chair.

I do understand he was a worldwide icon, but what baffles me is that he's gotten more coverage over the last two weeks than anything else going on in the world. Gotta love the media. (NOT!) I mean, seven "celebrities" have died over the past two weeks. Can anyone name even half of them without looking them up?

I just wish they'd let the man rest in peace already.

This is life, isn't it? I've had something of a change of perspective myself on this whole thing. It's like this, a hospital burns down and that's tragic, but hospitals can be rebuilt. The Mona Lisa get burned to ashes and, well, that can't be replaced. So even though, yeah, this is one guy who died and we might ask what does he matter compared to whatever other tragedy is going on elsewhere, he was one-of-a-kind. It doesn't matter what you feel towards him, he can't be replaced. And thus, his death is a seminal moments for those who were affected by whatever magic he possessed.

We'll agree that the media is stupid and exploitive and never knows what to do or how to handle such issues. No argument that the news channels are obnoxious and annoying. But what people feel, they feel, and what they need to do they do. That's life.

I'll agree that MJ can never be replaced, but seriously, isn't enough enough already? Even past presidents didn't get this much coverage for their funerals.

Sorry, but that's the way I feel. Mourn him or don't, but dammit, the media needs to give it a rest already.

 

[WRJames]

There are actually some important things going on in the world -- ethnic riots in China, a nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia, a serious split in the leadership of Iran, a mysterious plane crash --

you would never know it, unless perhaps you watch World Focus, which is the only news show that has not been consumed by the awesomeness of MJ.

What the hell does this say about us? Nothing good.

 

[DesertPirate]

There are actually some important things going on in the world -- ethnic riots in China, a nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia, a serious split in the leadership of Iran, a mysterious plane crash --

you would never know it, unless perhaps you watch World Focus, which is the only news show that has not been consumed by the awesomeness of MJ.

What the hell does this say about us? Nothing good.

Most of this is foisted on us by the media who claims we want it. When it's the only thing on they get some viewers.
This allows them to ignore "real" news and maniplulate what they do show. It's nothing but filler.
Sadly CNN and Fox are as bad about this as the Three Stooges.

 

[3113]

What the hell does this say about us? Nothing good.

*Shrug* It says what it says. I'll never understand why people get so bent out of shape about this. First: the Media isn't going to give it a rest because the media runs on the free-market. That means they report what gets them viewers. Second, as for what this says about us humans that we'd rather hear about this than mysterious plane crashes or arms reductions with Russia...we're back again to the Mona Lisa.

Planes crashes happen, and treaties for this or that get signed. These ARE getting reported. But like a hospital fire, what else is new? The fire happens, people die in it and it's tragic, but the people will be mourned, and the hospital will be rebuilt. The Mona Lisa is one of a kind and once it's gone, it's gone forever, and that art can't be recreated. Which is why, I promise you, that if there was a hospital fire and a story about the Mona Lisa being burned, the Mona Lisa would be reported first and a lot even though it's just paint on canvass and not human beings.

MJ's death is notable for that reason, but also because it's something that jolts the world. Whether it should or not is not up for debate. It did. Serious or frivolous, a celebrity or a president, some things pass unnoticed. Other things ring like alarm bells. And they not only shake the world, but they connect people in some feeling. Anything that does that is "news" to our species. And it matters not at all if that news is about the death of a jester or a king.

It says nothing bad about us, it says nothing good. It just says what it says. And it's something that's been said about us forever. This is us. And it's really nothing to shake your head sadly about. It is not so terrible a thing for people to have someone that can bridge differences and unite them in their humanity, even if he was better able to do that by dying and leaving them mourning then he was being alive and a curiosity.

 

[Huckleman2000]

I'll never understand this fanatical adoration of celebrities, especially when they're dead. From all the goings on in LA you'd think it was the Second Coming of Christ...with some really funky music.

Remember this feeling next time you invoke Reagan and people roll their eyes.

 

[TE999]

Remember this feeling next time you invoke Reagan and people roll their eyes.

I don't recall chanting any invocations to Reagan

You need to call upon Satan and The Powers of Darkness to get an effective spell going. Then eyes will definitely roll...back into heads.

 

[SeaCat]

This evening in the news they dedicated 20 minutes to the MJ Funeral while they dedicated all of 5 minutes to three shootings and one house fire with a death involved.

Somehow I can't understand this, but then again there are many things in our society I don't understand.

Cat

 

[WRJames]

*Shrug* It says what it says. I'll never understand why people get so bent out of shape about this. First: the Media isn't going to give it a rest because the media runs on the free-market. That means they report what gets them viewers. Second, as for what this says about us humans that we'd rather hear about this than mysterious plane crashes or arms reductions with Russia...we're back again to the Mona Lisa.

Planes crashes happen, and treaties for this or that get signed. These ARE getting reported. But like a hospital fire, what else is new? The fire happens, people die in it and it's tragic, but the people will be mourned, and the hospital will be rebuilt. The Mona Lisa is one of a kind and once it's gone, it's gone forever, and that art can't be recreated. Which is why, I promise you, that if there was a hospital fire and a story about the Mona Lisa being burned, the Mona Lisa would be reported first and a lot even though it's just paint on canvass and not human beings.

MJ's death is notable for that reason, but also because it's something that jolts the world. Whether it should or not is not up for debate. It did. Serious or frivolous, a celebrity or a president, some things pass unnoticed. Other things ring like alarm bells. And they not only shake the world, but they connect people in some feeling. Anything that does that is "news" to our species. And it matters not at all if that news is about the death of a jester or a king.

It says nothing bad about us, it says nothing good. It just says what it says. And it's something that's been said about us forever. This is us. And it's really nothing to shake your head sadly about. It is not so terrible a thing for people to have someone that can bridge differences and unite them in their humanity, even if he was better able to do that by dying and leaving them mourning then he was being alive and a curiosity.

Well, if it isn't MJ it's some missing child with a hot looking mom, or maybe OJ Simpson.

Something like 9/11 happens and it catches us completely by surprise -- an unprovoked, senseless deed -- because we are totally clueless. We only know about Africa when some celebrity ventures there, maybe to rescue one child out of the millions.

I agree with you that art is special and artists are special. But, the total slavish dominance of this story is absurd. NBC sent its top two anchormen to LA for the memorial. They probably would give less coverage to an earthquake.

The fact that MJ had been washed up for well over a decade just makes it all the sillier.

 

[3113]

Somehow I can't understand this, but then again there are many things in our society I don't understand.

The fact that MJ had been washed up for well over a decade just makes it all the sillier.

There's nothing to understand but that we live in a free-market economy, and nothing silly about it outside of the silliness of making news services subject to the whims of that economy. Do you really think that back in the days of the penny dreadful it was any different? If you want to sell newspapers you feature what sells. If that's local killings, you feature local killings. If that's an earthquake, it's an earthquake. If, instead, it's a scandal among the aristocracy or the death of an eccentric and one-time brilliant singer/dancer, than you feature that.

What's to understand? And given how desperate newspapers and news services are to stay afloat, what's silly about it?

 

[kromen]

This evening in the news they dedicated 20 minutes to the MJ Funeral while they dedicated all of 5 minutes to three shootings and one house fire with a death involved.

Somehow I can't understand this, but then again there are many things in our society I don't understand.

Cat

Sorry to say, but MJ is only going to die once. "Ordinary" people die everyday. If the media doesn't make a big deal about Joe Sixpack/Plumber/Gangmember before a celebrity death, it sure as heck wasn't going to pay attention during or after.
I gave up on mainstream media way before they used Twitter, TMZ, and Wikipedia as sources.

 

[TE999]

There's nothing to understand but that we live in a free-market economy, and nothing silly about it outside of the silliness of making news services subject to the whims of that economy. Do you really think that back in the days of the penny dreadful it was any different? If you want to sell newspapers you feature what sells. If that's local killings, you feature local killings. If that's an earthquake, it's an earthquake. If, instead, it's a scandal among the aristocracy or the death of an eccentric and one-time brilliant singer/dancer, than you feature that.

What's to understand? And given how desperate newspapers and news services are to stay afloat, what's silly about it?

What? Shouldn't news services be private enterprises and make a profit? They aren't subject to the economy, they're subject to the whims of their readers and subscribers. It is they who dictate what they wish to see and read by purchasing said news...frivolous or otherwise.

The New York Times, to it's credit, has attempted to maintain a certain level of dignity...and now it's circling the drain along with the rest of the Dead Tree media. TV news is likewise yielding to the net and blogs. The average age of a network evening news watcher is 64...same as the Buick purchaser demographic.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

What? Shouldn't news services be private enterprises and make a profit? They aren't subject to the economy, they're subject to the whims of their readers and subscribers. It is they who dictate what they wish to see and read by purchasing said news...frivolous or otherwise.

The New York Times, to it's credit, has attempted to maintain a certain level of dignity...and now it's circling the drain along with the rest of the Dead Tree media. TV news is likewise yielding to the net and blogs. The average age of a network evening news watcher is 64...same as the Buick purchaser demographic.

I'm sorry, but when some fatass financier buys my paper, once a pillar of brilliant global coverage and turning a profit of something like 15% and then downsizes it to nothing better than a unpaid promotion for every actor who needs a boost because "There are only two national newspapers in this country, The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal" because he lives in Chicago and thinks we're still fighting Indians out here, That has nothing to do with readers and subscribers. Fuck the Herald Tribune and the horse it rode in on.

 

[WRJames]

I'm sorry, but when some fatass financier buys my paper, once a pillar of brilliant global coverage and turning a profit of something like 15% and then downsizes it to nothing better than a unpaid promotion for every actor who needs a boost because "There are only two national newspapers in this country, The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal" because he lives in Chicago and thinks we're still fighting Indians out here, That has nothing to do with readers and subscribers. Fuck the Herald Tribune and the horse it rode in on.

And look at what has happened to CNN -- especially the channel formerly known as Headline News.

Really. it's hard to distinguish "news" from Extra or Inside Edition.

I really felt betrayed, though, the night MJ died, and the NBC nightly news was devoting all their coverage to it. BBC World News runs the same time -- so I switched to it, expecting to see some actual news -- and their cameras never strayed from the UCLA Medical Center! It was then I knew that we were past the point of no return.