[BellaCouture]

^lol at mushgushwa. First thing that made me grin again.

Obviously I'm listening to his music right now. So much talent...
For me this day closes an important period of my life, since I link this to another loss I've had a while ago. Can't explain why exactly, but it feels related.
Never have I cared about the rumors about his personal 'issues', so I really dislike the media for digging it all up. But I expect more of it on tv for at least a month.

I read there is going to be an autopsy? Well...this is the weirdest day.
Usually I'm not too touched by the death of someone I don't feel close to at all. But now it does feel different.
Like someone posted earlier in this thread; he was the Elvis of a generation

[Nemova]

Susanna-Cole, I see what you mean, but you have to understand that to many people Jacko was a true hero. Unlike pop idols of today, he was a legend in the likes of Elvis Presley or even Frank Sinatra. He was a music genius and he inspired so many people around the world. No other pop star will ever compare to Michael Jackson in his best days. No one will ever produce another Thriller. Younger people might only know him for the scandals, but anyone else will always remember him as The King of Pop.

[Mary-Anne]

shocking news... the world lost a true talent

RIP

[mushgushwa]

...damnit...talented people like him should be immortal!

[Caffeine]

this made me so sad...rest in peace......

[rh85]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spiral1532 And I've never understood why Europeans were so fascinated by him, considering how he's viewed here in America (as a "weirdo", eccentric, self-hating, possibly gay, etc). I guess that Europeans' fascination with him is due to a "cultural differences" thing.

what's wrong with being gay? is that bad to be gay in usa?

[Jacque Marcel]

i still can't believe it. who would've expected this when we all woke up this morning?

[Susanna-Cole]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iluvjeisa I'm sure very few people feel about a celebrities death as about a friend's death. But the more you've heard about a person and the more you like their work, the more you know about them and the more you care on a personal level. Pretty natural really.

I can understand caring, to a certain extent, and I'm not saying that people should all be indifferent when a celebrity dies, it's fine and understandable to be saddened at the news, especially if you like and respected their work, or even who they were as people (though that is always a bit debatable, as the media is a beast, and it's often difficult to know how any public figure is as a person, completely, and truly, unless you know them personally) ... I guess I'm just slightly dumbfounded when people are all, "I'm sobbing!", "I can't stop crying!", "I won't be able to sleep!" and sometimes just about hysterical or inconsolable, over a celebrity whom they never really knew.

But to each, their own, and I don't mean to be slamming, or insulting, those who may be truly upset...it's more so I just am confused slightly, by it, and have trouble understanding and genuinely sympathizing with it. But honestly, I hope I haven't offended anyone...I truly don't mean to kick anyone, so to say, when they're already down.

[Rightguard]

Can we refrain from calling him Jacko? More often than not not, the media used that name to refer to MJ in a negative fashion. R.I.P., you will be missed.

[LetThemEatCake]

WWD's coverage of his career, with a Slideshow of 11 images:
http://www.wwd.com/fashion-news/mich...e-icon-2191206

twitter.com

[Nemova]

@Susanna-Cole: That's what happens when an icon dies. A true icon.

@Rightguard: to some people, like me, 'Jacko' has a positive connotation. He's been 'Jacko' long before he was 'Jacko the supposed child molester'. So I don't see why that would be necessary.

[Spiral1532]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Susanna-Cole I was quite shocked when I heard this, and while I do love a few of his older songs (such as "Thriller" and "Billie Jean"), I can't say I'm really upset, considering I find him quite disturbing in his later years, as well as the fact, that I didn't actually know him. I guess I can never entirely understand how people can be sobbing over someone they never really knew...I mean if you like that person's work, I understand missing their movies/music/art/etc... and being a bit upset, but I just don't get why everyone always reacts to a celebrities death, much in the way, they would react to a close friend's death. If I hear anyone, at all, has died, I do think that's sad. A lot of people do, but I've never known of people literally crying and being devastated every time someone, that they don't actually know personally, dies. I guess, I'm also not too upset, because besides him potentially being a child molester, among other things, that I find revolting, I've always hated the fact that he underwent such ridiculous plastic surgery to try and become white. I don't think anyone should be ashamed of their skin color, it's nothing anyone should have to feel ashamed of, and it's awfully shallow and sad to try and change it, just so people or the public will be more accepting of you. Anyone who judges by skin color alone, or at all, really, isn't someone you whose opinion you should care about, anyway.

Thank you for speaking the truth! I especially agree with your first paragraph. I LOVED his Thriller album, as well as some of his additional 80s work. But beyond that, his subsequent music got progressively worse. And his whole life went spiraling downward.

No one is denying his supreme talent as a recording artist. But some of the public hysteria over his death that will occur in the days and weeks to come will be flat-out ridiculous.

[iluvjeisa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Susanna-Cole I guess I'm just slightly dumbfounded when people are all, "I'm sobbing!", "I can't stop crying!", "I won't be able to sleep!" and sometimes just about hysterical or inconsolable, over a celebrity whom they never really knew.

I think it's a difference of temperament and culture....we're all different. Some may be already sad and sad news gives them a reason to express that. Just different personalities handling things in different ways.

[b9409]

I mean one of the true legends did die today... who else is there?

Madonna, Angelina, Scorsese, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Spielberg... there are very few entertainers left that are true legends, or could become one. So so sad.

This is as colossal as Di.

[Susanna-Cole]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemova Susanna-Cole, I see what you mean, but you have to understand that to many people Jacko was a true hero. Unlike pop idols of today, he was a legend in the likes of Elvis Presley or even Frank Sinatra. He was a music genius and he inspired so many people around the world. No other pop star will ever compare to Michael Jackson in his best days. No one will ever produce another Thriller. Younger people might only know him for the scandals, but anyone else will always remember him as The King of Pop.

Yes, you do have a good point...I was born in 1990, and of course, I don't even have many memories until the mid-to-late 90s (my memory is kind of rubbish, really ), so I guess I might feel different about Michael's death if I had been alive and at the age to listen to his music, when he was in his prime and height of his career.

I guess, because I kind of missed it when he was so major, and supposedly groundbreaking, I don't quite understand how he's seen as quite so legendary. I like his music, don't get me wrong, I just feel like plenty of other artists have produced pop music that is just is good as his.

But as I said, you're right, if I had been there during the height of his career, it's possible, I might feel very differently about his death now.