Uh-ohh...Get ready for the GRIEF junkies...

[Easy 10]

I'm really not looking forward to seeing the legions of emotionally incontinent grief-junkies all over the news over the next few days, and at the funeral. Its started already - 5-Live had some blubbing woman on this morning professing her undying love for Jackson as she gulped back the snot and tears through her interview. I'm sorry, but anyone who gets themselves into such a STATE over the death of a celebrity who they'd never met and never knew outside of his public persona, is a bit of an oddball in my opinion. Maybe I'm a bit of a cold fish, but the only people I could envisage getting into that kind of state over if they died would be members of my family or close friends. OK, and maybe Myleene Klass.

But the press go into overdrive to actively seek out these emotional car-wrecks to glorify in their "grief", and there's never a shortage of volunteers just aching to get their snivelling mugs all over the news. When the news first broke last night, I switched over to CNN to watch some of the coverage, and they had a reporter outside MJ's house in LA. A few locals had just started gathering in a crowd outside the gates, and it was actually quite refreshing to see some interviews conducted with ordinairy people there who were completely normal, articulate and in control - saddened by his death, wonderful memories of his music etc, but none of the tears and wailing and shrieking that we're going to get now that the story is in full swing, and the news crews can take their pick from the hoards of melodramatic grief-junkies just out looking for their 5 minutes of fame.

Its going to be Diana all over again. Pass the bucket.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Anfield are still sorting out their press statement confirming that Michael Jackson was a lifelong Red.

 

[Pot noodles for everyone]

That'll be everyones favourite bi-polar crap tipster, you'd be referring to then.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Indeed. I was just watching on Sky News people denouncing the media for the disgraceful way Jackson has been treated in the past.

OK then. Child abuse - that's fine. Go right ahead.

 

[Herne Hill Seagull]

Seconded - I thought 'Diana' as soon as I saw that too. Can't stand or understand it - having to avoid the news media today, because you can't hear about anything else.

 

[Pot noodles for everyone]

The ultimate irony is that when someone dies who genuinely had an interaction with our lives the grief or sentiments generally are far more dignified.

Case in point, the legend that was Ron Pavey or fellow NSCer Eddie the Seagull.

 

[portlock seagull]

Indeed. I was just watching on Sky News people denouncing the media for the disgraceful way Jackson has been treated in the past.

OK then. Child abuse - that's fine. Go right ahead.

Don't ever remember him being found guilty of child abuse?

 

[Pot noodles for everyone]

And OJ and Spector were never convicted in a criminal trial either.

Jacko paid off the civil suit against him.

 

[Don Quixote]

Well if Paul Mccartney died i think i'd be on the streets wailing and shit.

 

[Acker79]

When I arrived in work two of my colleagues surrounded me and asked "Well? Have you heard? What do you think?"

I gave them my honest answer: "I'm bored with the news already, is nothing else going on in the world"

They seemed shocked and appalled I wasn't more affected. I never knew the guy. Yeah, he made some great music, but that didn't die, I don't have to delete my Michael Jackson mp3s or send back my cds. Radios can and will still play his music.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Don't ever remember him being found guilty of child abuse?

No - it is entirely appropriate for a 45 year-old man to share the bed of a 14 year old boy.

 

[Man of Harveys]

Don't ever remember him being found guilty of child abuse?

Maybe not, but I don't doubt for a second that he did it.

But it can't prevent appreciation of what he could do and tbh I don't quite get the tenor of this thread. I'm about as far from some self-pitying Jade-mourning grief junkie as it's possible to find. But I've grown up listening to and bloody loving the man's music since I was 2-3 (well at least up to about Bad) and so, like a whole load of others so when he dies prematurely I think it's sad and there's nothing wrong with mentioning what was so great about him. That's all.

If nothing else it's the biggest death in pop music since Lennon was shot in 1980 and certainly the first one of someone whose peak was well within my memory, unlike say Lennon or Elvis in 1977.

 

[El Presidente]

It's not as if he made an impact on our lives in the way that Jade Goodie did.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

Just wait for the rush of conspiracy theories over the next 50 years.

He was murdered by the mafia.

He's alive and working as a shoe shine boy in Los Angeles.

He was abducted by aliens.

He's singing duets with Elvis Presley in a bar in New Orleans.

Take your pick. Or, better still, make up your own.

 

[MattBackHome]

Michael Jackson:

1. Brilliant Singer, very good dancer and tip top entertainer (I saw him at Wembley in 1992 and it remains one of the best things I've ever seen)

2. Child molester.

In my opinion, him being a paedo doesn't take anything at all away from my enjoyment of Thriller, and being able to create "Off the Wall" doesn't excuse child abuse. It is possible to wear both hats (or shiny gloves, in this case).

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

I'm really not looking forward to seeing the legions of emotionally incontinent grief-junkies all over the news over the next few days, and at the funeral. Its started already - 5-Live had some blubbing woman on this morning professing her undying love for Jackson as she gulped back the snot and tears through her interview. I'm sorry, but anyone who gets themselves into such a STATE over the death of a celebrity who they'd never met and never knew outside of his public persona, is a bit of an oddball in my opinion. Maybe I'm a bit of a cold fish, but the only people I could envisage getting into that kind of state over if they died would be members of my family or close friends. OK, and maybe Myleene Klass.

But the press go into overdrive to actively seek out these emotional car-wrecks to glorify in their "grief", and there's never a shortage of volunteers just aching to get their snivelling mugs all over the news. When the news first broke last night, I switched over to CNN to watch some of the coverage, and they had a reporter outside MJ's house in LA. A few locals had just started gathering in a crowd outside the gates, and it was actually quite refreshing to see some interviews conducted with ordinairy people there who were completely normal, articulate and in control - saddened by his death, wonderful memories of his music etc, but none of the tears and wailing and shrieking that we're going to get now that the story is in full swing, and the news crews can take their pick from the hoards of melodramatic grief-junkies just out looking for their 5 minutes of fame.

Its going to be Diana all over again. Pass the bucket.

Same ones that queued for 5 hours just to look at the queen mums coffin.

 

[Easy 10]

But it can't prevent appreciation of what he could do and tbh I don't quite get the tenor of this thread. I'm about as far from some self-pitying Jade-mourning grief junkie as it's possible to find. But I've grown up listening to and bloody loving the man's music since I was 2-3 (well at least up to about Bad) and so, like a whole load of others so when he dies prematurely I think it's sad and there's nothing wrong with mentioning what was so great about him. That's all.

Absolutely. Neither do I. He WAS a fantastic entertainer, and like many others of my generation, I grew up listening to his music and watching his videos when he was in his prime, and I adored him. One of my childhood memories was staying up late to watch the worldwide premiere of the Thriller video on Channel 4 when I was about 12 or 13, and I was completely blown away by it. It was the number 1 topic of conversation the next day at school, and all I wanted for ages was a black and red leather jacket (never got one though)

But does this make me want to paint "I LUV U MJ" on my forehead and stand in the streets in a cascade of snot and tears, howling and wailing in grief at his death ? Errr...no. And I just think the people that go and do that stuff are attention-seeking tools. As someone else pointed out to me - if they're like that when their favourite pop star dies, how the hell do they cope if when they lose a family member ?

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

That'll be everyones favourite bi-polar crap tipster, you'd be referring to then.

Oh just f*** off and do one will you. I have posted stuff supporting Jackson to counter all the utter c*nts posting shit. I was more upset about Farrah dying.

Also Easy if people want to wallow in grief about Jackson just let them. Like the Diana situation what right do you or I or anyone else have to tell people the limit of their grieving ?.

 

[Easy 10]

Same ones that queued for 5 hours just to look at the queen mums coffin.

To be honest, I have no problem with that. If people feel they want to pay their respects to a public figure at their funeral then fine, if its being done in a DIGNIFIED manner.

My ire is directed at the "look at MEEEE, I'm MOURNING" brigade who just cannot suppress the urge to make a big spectacle of themselves by publically howling and wailing to the heavens.

 

[Easy 10]

Also Easy if people want to wallow in grief about Jackson just let them. Like the Diana situation what right do you or I or anyone else have to tell people the limit of their grieving ?.

Sorry Unc, but rightly or wrongly, I just cannot help but roll my eyes at these people. You cannot truley GRIEVE a celebrity you never met and knew, certainly not to the extent we'll be seeing (again). Its not grieving, its attention-seeking. There will be genuine sadness at his death of course, but true grief, REAL grief, can only really come from the loss of someone who was close to you.

In my honest opinion.