| GREG-STRANGE.COM |
"If you haven't found something strange during the
day, it hasn't been much of a day." -- John A. Wheeler
day, it hasn't been much of a day." -- John A. Wheeler
PROVIDING SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTARY ON THE
PEOPLE, POLITICS, EVENTS AND ABSURDITIES OF
OUR TIME. SERVED UP WITH ACERBIC WIT, YOU
SHOULD FIND IT QUITE SATISFYING.
PEOPLE, POLITICS, EVENTS AND ABSURDITIES OF
OUR TIME. SERVED UP WITH ACERBIC WIT, YOU
SHOULD FIND IT QUITE SATISFYING.
All Over But The Cryin' Racism
"If you fight for me, you're fighting for all black people,
dead and alive. We have to put a stop to this incredible
injustice."----Michael Jackson, former King of Pop
Must every media star who achieves this stratospheric level
of fame and success eventually lose his marbles? We all saw
what happened to Elvis in his latter years as he blimped out,
abused drugs and donned flamboyantly horrid jump suits for
public performances. Marlon Brando likewise became a
gargantuan human sideshow, known more for his eccentricities
than his acting abilities, and sporting a ridiculous looking
ponytail.
But in terms of chasing after the all-time freakazoid award,
no one is in the same league with Jacko. I mean, just exactly
what is Michael Jackson? Is he black, is he white, is he human,
is he android, is he flesh and blood, is he plastic, does he have a
soul? These are the most daunting ontological questions of our
time. Perhaps the only thing we can know for sure is that he
would give most circus freaks a bad case of the willies.
Actually, one other thing we can be certain of is that he is
not a victim of racism as he has suddenly alleged. In a surprise
announcement recently, Jackson charged that the recording
industry is basically a racist conspiracy that turns profits at
the expense of performers, particularly minority performers.
He singled out Tommy Mottola, chairman of Sony Music which
produced Jackson's latest album "Invincible," saying he is
"mean, he's racist, and he's very, very, very devilish."
Usually, three "very's" in front of "devilish" rates a serial
killer, not a record company executive. The fact is that Sony
spent at least $30 million producing "Invincible" (which, by all
accounts, should have been called "Unlistenable") and another
$25 million promoting the album. That's a total of at least $55
million. In other words, they've spent more money on
producing and promoting Jacko's latest album--which was a
critical and commercial flop--than the gross national product
of some Third World nations. Does that sound devilishly racist
to you?
So, when Jackson comes out crying racism, what are we to
think? That whatever gossamerlike wisp of rationality that
may have been left blowing around in this man's cranium like a
desiccated leaf in a whirlwind has now been totally devoured
by the cancer of crazy that has devoured the rest of him.
Let's talk about racism for a moment. How many times have
we heard that African-Americans are oppressed and
discriminated against merely because of the color of their skin,
which happens to be black? Well, Michael Jackson ain't black,
or at least not any more. Not only is he not black, he is
downright pale. If he ever spends an afternoon at the beach, he
better be slathered in the highest factor sunblock there is or
he's a dead man.
Does it really make sense for a guy who has chemically and
surgically wiped out every visible trace of his own former
blackness to be accusing someone else of racism? Hasn't Jacko
committed the ultimate act of racism by what he has done to
himself?
Granted, that doesn't mean that other black artists aren't
being discriminated against, but all you have to do is check out
"Cribs" on MTV to get the real scoop. You've seen "Cribs,"
right? That's where they go to the rock and rap stars' houses to
take a look around, and I promise you, the rappers aren't living
in some kind of racist-induced squalor.
They are living in fabulous, opulent mansions that would
have made the robber barons of the Gilded Age swoon with
envy. Situated on spacious and beautiful grounds, they are
typically surrounded by lush gardens, olympic-sized swimming
pools, gushing fountains and cascading waterfalls, not to
mention the generous assortment of Rolls Royces, SUV's and
sports cars that invariably fill the parking areas. If this is what
happens to victims of racist conspiracies, I want in.
Somebody needs to sit down with Michael Jackson and give
him a serious talking to. They need to tell him that every pop
star has a rise and a subsequent fall. They need to tell him that
he had a great run, one of the greatest in history, but the glory
days are over. They need to tell him that crying racism won't
resuscitate a career in free fall, especially when he has willfully
eradicated his own racial identity.
They need to tell him that between the surgeries and the
skin lightenings and the hair straightenings and the crotch
grabbings and the looney bin ranch and the molestation
charges and the wacky marriages, first to the daughter of
another troubled superstar and then to some unheard of
nobody--that between all of that, no career dependent upon
mass adulation could possibly survive unscathed, particularly
when the music just ain't that good any more.
They need to tell him that, yeah, show business can be
pretty crazy sometimes, but this is one show that ought not go
on any longer.
"If you fight for me, you're fighting for all black people,
dead and alive. We have to put a stop to this incredible
injustice."----Michael Jackson, former King of Pop
Must every media star who achieves this stratospheric level
of fame and success eventually lose his marbles? We all saw
what happened to Elvis in his latter years as he blimped out,
abused drugs and donned flamboyantly horrid jump suits for
public performances. Marlon Brando likewise became a
gargantuan human sideshow, known more for his eccentricities
than his acting abilities, and sporting a ridiculous looking
ponytail.
But in terms of chasing after the all-time freakazoid award,
no one is in the same league with Jacko. I mean, just exactly
what is Michael Jackson? Is he black, is he white, is he human,
is he android, is he flesh and blood, is he plastic, does he have a
soul? These are the most daunting ontological questions of our
time. Perhaps the only thing we can know for sure is that he
would give most circus freaks a bad case of the willies.
Actually, one other thing we can be certain of is that he is
not a victim of racism as he has suddenly alleged. In a surprise
announcement recently, Jackson charged that the recording
industry is basically a racist conspiracy that turns profits at
the expense of performers, particularly minority performers.
He singled out Tommy Mottola, chairman of Sony Music which
produced Jackson's latest album "Invincible," saying he is
"mean, he's racist, and he's very, very, very devilish."
Usually, three "very's" in front of "devilish" rates a serial
killer, not a record company executive. The fact is that Sony
spent at least $30 million producing "Invincible" (which, by all
accounts, should have been called "Unlistenable") and another
$25 million promoting the album. That's a total of at least $55
million. In other words, they've spent more money on
producing and promoting Jacko's latest album--which was a
critical and commercial flop--than the gross national product
of some Third World nations. Does that sound devilishly racist
to you?
So, when Jackson comes out crying racism, what are we to
think? That whatever gossamerlike wisp of rationality that
may have been left blowing around in this man's cranium like a
desiccated leaf in a whirlwind has now been totally devoured
by the cancer of crazy that has devoured the rest of him.
Let's talk about racism for a moment. How many times have
we heard that African-Americans are oppressed and
discriminated against merely because of the color of their skin,
which happens to be black? Well, Michael Jackson ain't black,
or at least not any more. Not only is he not black, he is
downright pale. If he ever spends an afternoon at the beach, he
better be slathered in the highest factor sunblock there is or
he's a dead man.
Does it really make sense for a guy who has chemically and
surgically wiped out every visible trace of his own former
blackness to be accusing someone else of racism? Hasn't Jacko
committed the ultimate act of racism by what he has done to
himself?
Granted, that doesn't mean that other black artists aren't
being discriminated against, but all you have to do is check out
"Cribs" on MTV to get the real scoop. You've seen "Cribs,"
right? That's where they go to the rock and rap stars' houses to
take a look around, and I promise you, the rappers aren't living
in some kind of racist-induced squalor.
They are living in fabulous, opulent mansions that would
have made the robber barons of the Gilded Age swoon with
envy. Situated on spacious and beautiful grounds, they are
typically surrounded by lush gardens, olympic-sized swimming
pools, gushing fountains and cascading waterfalls, not to
mention the generous assortment of Rolls Royces, SUV's and
sports cars that invariably fill the parking areas. If this is what
happens to victims of racist conspiracies, I want in.
Somebody needs to sit down with Michael Jackson and give
him a serious talking to. They need to tell him that every pop
star has a rise and a subsequent fall. They need to tell him that
he had a great run, one of the greatest in history, but the glory
days are over. They need to tell him that crying racism won't
resuscitate a career in free fall, especially when he has willfully
eradicated his own racial identity.
They need to tell him that between the surgeries and the
skin lightenings and the hair straightenings and the crotch
grabbings and the looney bin ranch and the molestation
charges and the wacky marriages, first to the daughter of
another troubled superstar and then to some unheard of
nobody--that between all of that, no career dependent upon
mass adulation could possibly survive unscathed, particularly
when the music just ain't that good any more.
They need to tell him that, yeah, show business can be
pretty crazy sometimes, but this is one show that ought not go
on any longer.