Anyone else maxed out on the ceaseless, breathless, mind numbingly repetitious coverage of every aspect of Michael Jackson’s weird life, strange family and unfortunate death?
This “all Michael Jackson, all the time” treatment of a story that ceased to be new news days ago is equal parts exploitation, laziness and lemming-like stupidity on the part of corporate media, especially the cable “news” outlets.
We never enjoyed Jackson’s singing, herky-jerky, crotch-grabbing excuse for dancing and the periodic tsunamis of hype that attended his moneymaking forays.
Even so, we recognize millions are big fans of his and expect to learn the details of Jackson’s passing and related matters. The problem is that now, days after his demise, those details could easily be covered in a segment less than five minutes long.
We well remember the passing of several entertainment industry megastars, including Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles and, perhaps the greatest of them all, Frank Sinatra. We’re talking incredibly talented stars of the recording industry, radio, films, TV and the Broadway stage. Several of them devoted plenty of time to entertaining our troops all over the world, in three wars and peacetime. These stars weren’t just 50 years old, they had award-winning careers that spanned more than 50 years.
Yet none of those multi-generational superstars received the ongoing, blather-ridden, punishingly repetitious second-, third- and fourth-day attention Jackson’s demise is being given.
What’s going on reveals, once again, an egregious lack of news judgment, no doubt coupled with a bid to cash in on a celebrity’s death.
Perhaps the most honest and sensible thing we’ve heard after Jackson’s passing ceased to be news was a comment that went something like this, heard on CNN or MSNBC, commenter unknown:
It’s kind of amazing, all this attention right now, all these people out here. Because, the day before he died, a lot of these people didn’t want anything to do with Jackson. They were turned off by the molestation case, the way he acted, how bizarre his life had become.
Exactly.
Now, can we get back to the sordid details of Gov. Mark Sanford’s sex life and endless speculation about, “Gee, how are Republicans ever going to pull themselves out of the ditch and retake control of the government?” We had been sick to death of that crap, but right now it would be a blessed relief.
SOMEONE digs Jacko, witness the Billboard Catalog chart. Somehow, once Glenn Beck meets the Reaper, I don’t think we’ll see his four or five ghostwritten tomes on the NYT Top Ten.
RG, I acknowledged up front that Jackson had millions of fans who want to know what happened and what’s going on after his death. I have no problem with “news” organizations reporting that story. Making it the focus of endless repetition, hype and idle speculation for days on end is ridiculous.
This is a good time to keep an eye on those “alternative” news sites like Raw Story and AlterNet. A lot of real news slips through the cracks while the mainstream “media” is obsessing over the latest celebrity “news.” This Michael Jackson frenzy will be a goldmine for “Project Censored” type stories to slip past unnoticed.
Tom, as always you’re right. Although it doesn’t seem like it sometimes, it’s good we have so much media available, including alternative sources.
Ahhh, finally! Something has happened that those who run the media know will sell. Yes, we were getting tired of all the political stuff, so now here is something really interesting!!
Sigh… not really.
I would love it if the news media would just let Jackson rest in peace and allow his family to have privacy. Instead, we get stories about how plans to bury Jackson at Neverland have fizzled, foiling the development of another Graceland. I would rather hear those stories of which Tom speaks, but those won’t be in the mainstream media anyway! Yes, this IS a great time to be looking at alternative news sources.
Entertainment Tonight, have you no sense of decency?
Snave, I agree overall, but the Jackson family appears to want lots of media exposure.
Snave – I can’t believe you used the words “Entertainment Tonight” and “decency” in the same sentence…
I too am sick of “all MJ All the time”. If it’s not Jermaine prattling on and on about his brother (wonder how much CNN paid for that Larry King special interview last night?)…it only gets worse. Today we learn that tickets to the memorial will be given out by online lottery.
SICK! Our society is truly sick and twisted. Now, the question is, does the media just fuel an already existing sickness, or does the media create it and propagate it?