Michael Jackson dies at age 50

[sodascouts]

Oh my gosh!!!

You know, I went poster shopping yesterday at a campus sale, and they had all these posters of Michael Jackson that gave his birth and death dates. His death looks like it will be up there with the deaths of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, and James Dean in terms of pop culture perpetuating its tragedy and keeping it the minds of the public.

Heck, even the Eagles did a song about the death of James Dean!

[AmarilloByMorning]

(Sigh.)

Enter weeks of speculation. A trial is sure to ensue. Random passerby will want to get their toes in the door in case a giant windfall ruling pulls through and they have the opportunity to obtain the famed "money for nothing". They will comment through their attorneys. Nancy Grace will have banners below her in obnoxious colors flashing suppositions from random, uninvolved lawyers, who will reacquire their status as pompous spawns of Satan. I will consider Witness Protection. Jackson's legacy will resemble a formerly-beautiful green field after a traveling circus departs.

Soda, I was actually wondering whether he'd be pleased at being forever-Monroe'd or aggravated that his death eclipsed the music he created.

[sodascouts]

Soda, I was actually wondering whether he'd be pleased at being forever-Monroe'd or aggravated that his death eclipsed the music he created.

It's interesting you should call it being Monroe'd - I think all of the people above are more identified with their work - or at least what they symbolized - than their death per se. Like Monroe and her smiling face as she stood over a vent pushing down her skirt, like Elvis swiveling those hips while he sang Hound Dog, like Lennon singing Imagine, like James Dean standing against a wall in jeans and a jacket exuding defiance... it is the moment in time Michael Jackson was at his peak that will remain fixed in everyone's minds when it comes to defining him. This is true regardless of his manner of death, no matter how tragic, if history is any indication.