Michael Jackson, dead at 50. How sad and heartbreaking. If Michael had any true friends that cared about him and not his money, they're nowhere to be seen. It's just not possible for friends to allow another friend to deteriorate the way Michael did these last few months in preparation for this comeback concert in London. And where was Michael's family, for God's sake? Didn't anyone care enough about this man to try to save his life?
Michael Jackson's death is a supreme tragedy and sounds eerily familiar. We watched as the mystery unfolded around the death of Anna Nicole Smith a couple of years ago. Anna's 'handlers' kept her doped up, sedated and isolated while they drained her money away. Her true friends were nowhere to be seen either. They had all let themselves be driven away by unscrupulous people that only had their own best interests at heart. According to Anna, with or without input from her handlers, her family was not any better than rest of the vampires sucking her dry. How sad is that? But in reality, blood relatives are nothing but an accident of birth. 'Family' can be whoever you want them to be, blood or no. It's just a matter of deciding whether you love them enough to make them a part of your family.
Frankly, I expected Britney Spears to follow the same path to destruction but intervention from her dad may have saved her from this particular macabre 'circus.' I applaud his decision to do something instead of standing idly by and allowing his daughter to continue to self-destruct. Good for Jamie for stepping up and being a parent. I make no comment about him managing her career. That's not for me to say but I will say this much: Britney's not dead, career-wise or in actuality. That's gotta count for something. FYI people, Lindsey Lohan could use a parent, too. Is there anyone out there that's up for the job?
What would it be like to have cameras, nosy photographers and reporters for every magazine and newspaper known to man, and some that aren't, constantly taking pictures, recording video and writing stories - factual or embellished - to feed the public's appetite for celebrity news? I couldn't begin to imagine because I'm a huge fan of personal privacy and have a hard time dealing with other people living in my house, even if it is my own daughter and her boyfriend. So what then must it be like to have your every move recorded and scrutinzed by the court of public opinion? The public demands so much of their stars (actors, singers, supermodels, etc) but it breaks some of them mentally and spiritually. John Q Public, for the most part, couldn't care less either.
Amy Winehouse is a perfect example of the public's disdain. She's self-destructing and the majority of public opinion says - how sad but it's her own fault for taking all the drugs. All right, she's responsible for her own mess but doesn't anyone care enough to try to stop her from killing herself? Isn't anyone a close enough friend to keep trying instead of just walking away and letting her continue with her self-destruction?
Sometimes, I think the public builds a celebrity up and up and up until they've reached the pinnacle of their success and waits, hoping that a scandal will topple the star they've worked tirelessly to build, just to see how far that celebrity can fall. Why? Because John & Jane Public are human and as such are prone to envy, pride and wrath. Confused? Don't be, it's simple. Everyone thinks they can do what Tom Cruise, Heidi Klum or Britney Spears does and do it better. That would be pride, misplaced though it is. Their only problem is that no one has given them a break to launch their career. That would be envy. Finally, they sit at home nuturing imagined slights, feeding them with every rumor and disasterous news story they read, just waiting for the moment when they can say, "I told you so!" and feel 'oh so much better' about themselves. That's wrath, in case you missed it. Extremely disturbing behavior and more true than most would be willing to admit.
What's even more disturbing, or should be, is that society has grown so inured to all the damage inflicted on others that we don't even blink anymore. Celebrities are blamed for bringing it on themselves by becoming the actor, singer, supermodel that we helped to create when we bought the magazines and watched the celebrity news shows. When they ask for privacy, or ask for help of any kind, or fight back against the constant intrusions, we soothe our consciences by absolving ourselves of any participation in all the drama. We aren't responsible, we tell ourselves. We didn't do it; we weren't involved.
The lack of humanity and compassion for Anna, Michael, Amy, Britney and all the others that give of themselves to entertain us is astounding. Celebrities don't belong to us. They aren't toys or our personal property to use and abuse as we desire.
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