The only thing I have to say about the death of Michael Jackson is how I found out. It was not someone's Facebook status nor TMZ, but I heard about it from something as antiquated as the radio. Yes, I still listen to the radio because I still like an element of surprise in my life. I scan the dial in search of the perfect soundtrack of the moment.
Funny that Michael Jackson didn't fit on the track list yesterday. I like him just as much as anyone but usually in the context of last call, last dance on the dance floor. So when I kept hitting scan, one by one each station started playing Michael Jackson songs back to back.
It's amusing to call it viral because anything viral in the media you usually think of the internet, i.e. Twitter. Though it was one of those creepy moments when you suddenly feel claustrophobic as you're forced to pay tribute to a man you didn't know. Yes, I agree, he is quite iconoclastic for changing pop music and inflating celebrity to a higher degree. Blah Blah Blah. But do we need to escalate this news to emergency broadcasting levels? Is it an emergency that I should feel obligated to pay respects because "Thriller" was playing when I sloppily made out with someone forgettable at a party? I'm not heartless, my thoughts are with his family. But when comes to entertainment, really I was in the mood to hear Madonna on the radio that day, not MJ.
Other thoughts:
1. If the radio is going to play back to back MJ songs, then MTV should definitely pay their respects by playing his videos on one of their 10+ channels. Each party brought the other much success; though it is curious to see how both brands devolved at the turn of this century.
2. My grandmother wants to me to write an expository essay on why Michael Jackson is such an pivitol figure in our society, which due is for discussion upon our Saturday evening PIZZA PARTY.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment