Entertainment : What we should remember about Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson lived a life of great contrasts. Born into a show business family, he never had anything resembling a normal childhood. First brought on-stage during Jackson family performances at age three, by the time he was just a year older, he was performing as a regular member of the singing group. By the time he was 15, he was the star of the family show, and by 18 branched off by himself to become one of the most renowned superstars in pop music history.

More of a performer than accomplished singer, Jackson developed a precise, jerky dancing style that appealed to young fans and appalled traditionalists and parents. His flashy costumes were odd combinations of military and masquerade glitter. His squeaky barks of barely understandable lyrics were accompanied by expert spinning dance steps, and often by forward thrusts of his hips and grasping his crotch. As with other sexually-daring entertainment idols of the day, including Elvis, Mick Jagger, Madonna, and others, Jackson drew young fans to him because of his outrageous originality and notoriety.

Although he grew up to be a slim, handsome teenager and young adult African-American, Jackson became obsessed with the thought that being a black man in America was a curse. Although wealthy and revered as a star entertainer, Jackson began to take drastic steps to wipe away his heritage. He used various whitening bleaches and skin treatments, and had numerous surgeries to adjust his nose and other features to what he considered an ideal white face. The bizarre, somewhat clown-face result became the butt of jokes and public ridicule, but only seemed to enhance Jackson’s fame with loyal fans.

The adult Jackson often complained about not having a normal childhood, and had been forced to enter the grown-up world of show business without any opportunity to interact with other children. As a result, just as he took drastic steps to rearrange his color and facial features, Jackson began bringing young boys to join him on trips and in his home, probably in what he considered a way to reclaim a lost childhood. He established a California estate called Neverland, and designed it to become a private Disney World, complete with amusement park rides and live animal areas.

Because of his behavior with young boys, Jackson was often in court being sued by parents and charged by authorities with child molestation. In one celebrated civil case, the pop star settled out of court with the parents of a ten-year-old boy who had lived at Neverland and admitted sleeping in the same bed with Jackson. It was reported that Jackson gave the parents several million dollars to drop all charges against him.

In his 20s and 30s, Jackson was at the top of the show business ladder, performing live to sold-out audiences all over the world. He recorded multi-million-selling albums, and against all rumors of his sexual orientation, married twice. His first was a highly-acclaimed one to the daughter of Elvis Presley, but it lasted less than two years. His second marriage, although there are no official records to prove legality, was to a nurse, who bore him two children.

By the time he attained his 40s, Jackson seemed to be in court more than he was on stage. He continued to earn huge amounts of money, but spent it with childlike abandon. At the time of his death, he had already lost ownership of Neverland, and was reported to be more than $200 million in debt. He was planning an extensive comeback tour in the summer of 2009 when heart failure ended his life at 50.

How should Michael Jackson be remembered? He was one of the most popular entertainers in American history, and perhaps that will be his enduring legacy. However, as with everyone else, he had his flaws, and maybe Shakespeare’s words as spoken by Mark Anthony about Caesar apply: “His life was gentle, and the elements so mixed in him that Nature might stand up and say to all the world, this was a man.”

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.