When "Thriller" hit, I was working at a Jersey shore shop that specialized in posters, buttons and T-shirts. And I'm convinced that, that summer, Michael Jackson goods alone paid the rent...and then some.
I was too young to fully appreciate that this sort of phenomenon didn't come along every year or even every decade. And while I preferred Jackson 5 music to that of the alleged King of Pop (Seriously: Does it get much better than "ABC," "Mama's Pearl," and "I Want You Back"?), I watched with fascination as Michael got bigger and his story got stranger.
I avoided commentary upon his death earlier this year. Frankly, the allegations of child molestation muddied the waters too much for me to join the mourners. In addition, he was another entertainer who seemed to have gotten caught up in his own fame, sidetracked from the gifts and creative drive that pushed him to the heights.
So am I going to see "This Is It," the released-today film cobbled together from available rehearsal and other footage from Jackson's aborted tour? It's not high on my priority list.
Do I believe the film is really only out for a two-week run? Not at all.
Am I baffled by the amount of interest the film--and Jackson--continues to generate? A bit.
Do I want to hear your thoughts on Jackson? Absolutely.
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