Reflections of a Boy Gone Bad 

Nature often sheds more light on our understanding of the complexities of human behavior when we examine the fascinating life cycles of some insects. The cicada is an unusual, broad-winged insect whose newly hatched eggs remain buried many years in the ground before emerging as full-grown “17-year” locusts. From time to time, I like to take the opportunity to make public service announcements, particularly when I feel I have an important message to share with my readers. Please allow me to present my thoughts on the “Cicada-like” emergence of Michael Jackson.

If a young child had watched the mother cicada bury her newly hatched eggs, I’m sure the child might wait in great anticipation to see what kind of insect would emerge from the ground 17 years later. Similarly, today, I find myself wondering just what type of star Michael Jackson has become and just what type of strange behavior will be next to emerge from his ever-evolving personality. In a brief four-year period, his transformation has tainted his image as the world’s most popular celebrity. Now, as the world’s most bizarre celebrity, his current behavior is indicative of someone who should be taking an extended tour of St. Elizabeth’s Mental Institution in Washington, D.C., instead of touring Japan.

Let me began by saying that, like many of you, I grew up listening to the music of the Jackson 5, which became popular during the early 60s. I remember attending their concerts at the Regal Theater in my hometown of Chicago. Even then, Michael was viewed as a child prodigy. The early musical talents he displayed were remarkable and awe-inspiring. The young performer had a voice like Jackie Wilson, and he and he moved and danced like James Brown. He was destined to become a star.

His Thriller album proved to be a star of the highest magnitude. Over 40 million albums were released five years later. This album lived up to its name and was literally Bad.

Bad was perceived by music critics as falling short of its expectations. That writing was weak and the music even weaker. All that aside, the record company and promoters were quite successful in generating sales for both the album and the promotional tour.

Armed with a new book titled Moonwalk, a new video, and a new image, the Peter Pan of Pop was out to recapture the minds and hearts of the world. But something was missing. I believe the thrill was gone and that we must make a personal decision as to whether we will accept or reject any future offerings by Michael.

After 23 years in the entertainment business, Michael Jackson has become void of any sense of self. He has become obsessed with an age-old mental disorder called artificial assimilation---the overwhelming desire to recreate oneself in an image other than one’s own. Michael has perfected the art of passing and has given new meaning to the word crossover.

By now, everyone is aware of the fact that the boy has physically altered his body through cosmetic plastic surgery. He has radically reconstructed his nose, reshaped his chin, and added a dimple. Jackson’s eyes have been tattooed with permanent mascara. His jerry-curl hairstyle, heavily coated with gels and grease, accidentally caught on fire and thrilled him with the brief experience of being a human torch.

Now, some of you might view these actions as Michael Jackson’s right to do whatever he wishes with his body. But the straw that broke the camel’s back was his decision to lighten his skin color through some bleaching process. Now I ask you. What type of person would take injections to lighten his skin at a time when whites are dying of skin cancer by the thousands because they lack adequate skin pigmentation? Are these the actions of someone who is in his right mind? Michael Jackson has literally gone "Bad"

Anyone who sells 40 million copies of a single album is definitely communicating with an awful lot of people. Michael's desire to become white is not an accident, it is part of a promotional strategy to market him to a predominately non-black audience.

That is the reality that we have to recognize.

Since becoming a worldwide commodity, Michael has specifically chosen not to portray the image of a strong black male. Typically, black males are viewed as a threat by Caucasians; therefore, a non-threatening image of Michael had to be created. So now we have a superstar who is neither black nor white, male nor female. His image is that of someone who is sexually neuter and void of any racial ethnicity.

Personally, I feel Mr. Jackson has gone too far. Many others also share my feelings. His new image is considered a joke. The general consensus among young people I've talked with is that Michael is trying to imitate his sister Janet. Some say he looks much prettier than his sister Latoya. I recently heard a white disc jockey laughingly remark that he thought he looked like Michael Jackson, and, with an insulting smirk, he commented, "Well, at least we have the same color skin."

Many of you probably feel Michael has the right to do whatever he wants in the privacy of his own personal life. Most will agree that as an entertainer, his performances are beyond comparison. Both statements are correct. However, when a person becomes so popular that he can influence the lives of millions of people, then his image and personal behavior are causes for public concern.

Images are shaped, molded, and created by public relations experts. Stars become stars because people buy and support the products created by using their talents. The public is responsible for buying millions of records and millions of concert tickets. These purchases make the stars rich. People in the marketplace determine the popularity of stars and famous people. In order for the career of a celebrity to remain successful, he or she must maintain the continued popular support and approval of fans.

This philosophy is true for all professionals. It doesn't matter whether the person is an entertainer or a politician; they all have a responsibility to project a positive image of the public.

Commentary

What can I say about Michael Jackson? In the years since this essay was written, it appears that Michael has gone from bad to worse. Maybe having so much wealth and fame at such a young age distorted Mishaal’s perception of reality. One thing is for sure, he may not be Egyptian, but he's been living in denial for quite some time.           

• Perhaps it started when he was accused of sexually molesting a 13-year-old boy and later settled with the child’s family in an out-of-court agreement.
• Perhaps it was when he married Elvis Presley’s daughter and insisted on being called the King of Pop.” Their marriage lasted 20 months.
• Perhaps it was when he married his second white wife, and they produced two children---under questionable circumstances. Their marriage lasted 25 months.
• Perhaps he will finally get his opportunity to be recognized as a white man when he plays Edgar Allen Poe in an upcoming film.
  
  

One would be hard-pressed to write a fictionalized account of a life more bizarre than Michael Jackson’s. He was a brilliant child prodigy wrote about. You know, the two souls at war with each other within the same body. Judging from his recent behavior, I believe the once-good Michael Jackson has lost out to the bad.

A white social commentator summed up Michael’s life rather interestingly when she said, ‘Only in America can a poor black boy like Michael Jackson grow up to be a rich white woman.”