Three weeks after the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, passed away and still tributes from stars and fans continue to pour in and news channels across the world remain dominated with stories both celebrating his life and questioning his death.
His ‘private’ memorial was watched by the world. Fans fought tooth and nail to get a ticket to the ‘biggest event in history’ (tickets to this were more coveted than any one of his London concert gigs), and stars came out in droves to pay their respects and cover his songs as a tribute to their ‘hero’.
Celebrity tweeters, including Li-Lo, Paris Hilton and Madonna made public their sorrow for his passing and their sympathies for his family and children.
Now call me a PR cynic, call me what you will, but am I the only one to have noticed a huge shift in the public perception of this eccentric figure who was ridiculed and taunted throughout his life in the media? The world’s interest in, and adoration for their ‘idol’, M.J. has soared since his passing, and that can’t go unquestioned.
For as long as I can remember (and I’d like to think my memory serves me well at the ripe age of 28), media coverage of this so-called ‘hero’ reported only of his bizarre public behaviour, his increasingly distorted face, his spiraling debt, and more importantly, his alleged unsavoury relationships with children.
And where were his celebrity fans then? I can’t remember seeing any of them by his side or standing up in his honour during the much-publicised trials…
I’m sorry to say it, but it seems to me that now he can’t shock people anymore, the public’s completely comfortable with talking about him again. All of a sudden, he’s no longer synonymous with bad plastic surgery or kiddie-fiddling jokes. Now the only words we hear when his name is mentioned, are ‘legend’, ‘genius’ and ‘wonderful father’.
There’s no doubt that he was a massively talented performer and entertainer, I personally could sing (and dance, if badly) along to almost every one of his many hits. And I’m not saying we shouldn’t remember the musical legacy that he will no doubt leave behind. I just think it’s interesting to see that some fans, journalists and celebrities who were so quick to criticise him when he was alive, are now happy to praise him now he’s gone.
Is it just me (too many years in celebrity and consumer PR at Brazen perhaps) or are people choosing to remember Michael as how they want to remember him rather than how he really was at the time?
Don’t tell me, it’s just ‘Human Nature’… Right?
By Sasha Blake, Account Director
