The Michael Jackson conspiracy

[Ron Ecker]

What is it with the wall-to-wall media coverage (both in the U.S. and, I hear, overseas) since Michael Jackson died, it seems like a year ago now? Cui bono? (His record sales have gone through the roof.) Did ownership of the Neverland Ranch make him a head of state? I'm told he revolutionized music. Well, not being a connoisseur of pop music (I quit listening sometime in the 1980s, I think, when it all became noise), how exactly did he do that? The moonwalk or what? I know he had a lot of big hits, but don't a lot of other people? I need to be educated, so that I too can appropriately mourn this twice (?) accused pedophile.

[John Simkin]

What is it with the wall-to-wall media coverage (both in the U.S. and, I hear, overseas) since Michael Jackson died, it seems like a year ago now? Cui bono? (His record sales have gone through the roof.) Did ownership of the Neverland Ranch make him a head of state? I'm told he revolutionized music. Well, not being a connoisseur of pop music (I quit listening sometime in the 1980s, I think, when it all became noise), how exactly did he do that? The moonwalk or what? I know he had a lot of big hits, but don't a lot of other people? I need to be educated, so that I too can appropriately mourn this twice (?) accused pedophile.

Michael Jackson was an important artist in the history of popular music but he clearly did not deserve this amount of media publicity. The music industry have used this opportunity to sell some records. I also find it difficult to understand why a pedophile has received so much good publicity. Our music stations are not allowed to play the music of the UK's pop pedophile, Gary Glitter. His problem was that he did not have enough money to buy off the victims.

[Christopher Hall]

What is it with the wall-to-wall media coverage (both in the U.S. and, I hear, overseas) since Michael Jackson died, it seems like a year ago now? Cui bono? (His record sales have gone through the roof.) Did ownership of the Neverland Ranch make him a head of state? I'm told he revolutionized music. Well, not being a connoisseur of pop music (I quit listening sometime in the 1980s, I think, when it all became noise), how exactly did he do that? The moonwalk or what? I know he had a lot of big hits, but don't a lot of other people? I need to be educated, so that I too can appropriately mourn this twice (?) accused pedophile.

Michael Jackson was an important artist in the history of popular music but he clearly did not deserve this amount of media publicity. The music industry have used this opportunity to sell some records. I also find it difficult to understand why a pedophile has received so much good publicity. Our music stations are not allowed to play the music of the UK's pop pedophile, Gary Glitter. His problem was that he did not have enough money to buy off the victims.

"Our music stations are not allowed to play the music of the UK's pop pedophile, Gary Glitter."

Not allowed by whom or by what?

The Government?

I have tried to learn about personal liberties and freedoms in the UK after reading an article about stops and frisks and stops and searches.

What can you direct me to on this topic?

Thanks.

[Dave Greer]

"Our music stations are not allowed to play the music of the UK's pop pedophile, Gary Glitter."

Not allowed by whom or by what?

The Government?

I have tried to learn about personal liberties and freedoms in the UK after reading an article about stops and frisks and stops and searches.

What can you direct me to on this topic?

Thanks.

Not allowed by public opinion. Any radio station playing his records would be publicly vilified. It wouldn't surprise me if the DJ or manager responsible ended up being drummed out of their job.

HP were forced by public outrage to drop one of his songs from an ad campaign last year.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...ng-dropped.html

[Guest Tom Scully]

What is it with the wall-to-wall media coverage (both in the U.S. and, I hear, overseas) since Michael Jackson died, it seems like a year ago now? Cui bono? (His record sales have gone through the roof.) Did ownership of the Neverland Ranch make him a head of state? I'm told he revolutionized music. Well, not being a connoisseur of pop music (I quit listening sometime in the 1980s, I think, when it all became noise), how exactly did he do that? The moonwalk or what? I know he had a lot of big hits, but don't a lot of other people? I need to be educated, so that I too can appropriately mourn this twice (?) accused pedophile.

Michael Jackson was an important artist in the history of popular music but he clearly did not deserve this amount of media publicity. The music industry have used this opportunity to sell some records. I also find it difficult to understand why a pedophile has received so much good publicity. Our music stations are not allowed to play the music of the UK's pop pedophile, Gary Glitter. His problem was that he did not have enough money to buy off the victims.

Reaction in 2004 to the lingering death of unindicted co-conspirator of Iran-Contra and a devisive, mediocre former US president, Ronald Reagan was overdone out of all proportion to his accomplishments.

Reaction to the sudden death of Michael Jackson is similarly as difficult to fathom as the reaction to Princess Diana's sudden death in 1997.

Were the late JFK Jr. and wife more deserving, owing to their fame and accomplishments, to the reaction and special treatment received, than Jackson is, this week?

...and Elvis, unlike Michael Jackson, did not author many, if any, of the songs he sang in his performances:

http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/elvisp...eral_in_memphis

.....The city came to resemble a gypsy camp as tens of thousands of followers dropped whatever they were doing wherever they were and made their way to where they knew they had to be. No matter that there was no room in the inn (the city's 9000 motel rooms were already overflowing with 16,000 conventioning Shriners), no matter that only a couple of thousand out of 75,000 got to view the regal body lying in state, no matter that only 200 or so close friends attended the services. It was enough, they said, to be in the same town with the King when he was laid away...

It is what it is, and we can either go with the media augmented "flow", and wonder quietly, at least during the period of mourning, what the distraction we are not caught up in is really driven by, or....we can react the way the talk show host at Salem Radio react, the way Salem's http://townhall.com collective reacts, or perhaps, as New York congressman and republican US senate candidate, Peter King reacted:

Watch the video of King making his attack on Jackson....get an idea of what a sorry position the extreme right in America has put itself in. They sincerely

belief the espouse reasonable and responsible ideas and policies:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/06/p...n_n_226062.html

NEW YORK A New York congressman says in a YouTube video that Michael Jackson was a "pervert."

Rep. Peter King said society is "glorifying" a "low-life" while ignoring the efforts of teachers, police officers, firefighters, veterans and volunteers.

Jackson was acquitted of molesting a boy.

In the video, the congressman says the "day in and day out" coverage of Jackson's death is "too politically correct."

He conceded that Jackson "may have been a good singer" and "did some dancing."

King is among the possible Republican contenders for the seat held by Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (JILL'-uh-brand.)

King has said in the past that he represents the interests of "blue-collar conservatives."

....and Ron, you might want to review the comments you posted in the opener. I don't know about you, but I want, at all times, to be as distanced

from the opinions of Peter King as I can possibly locate myself.

Edited July 10, 2009 by Tom Scully

[John Bevilaqua]

Jackson's fans were apparently so rabidly devoted to him that ripple affect stories are now rampant. Even Bartolo Colon a Red Sox pitcher assigned to the Sox AAA franchise actually is AWOL while he is apparently coping with the grief caused by the death of his longtime hero. This is happening while all the old Jackson jokes are being circulated once again by yet others. Strange world, with some strange heroes. Now reports say that Jackson took about 10,000 doses of various pills and sleep aids within the last year and that it will probably be impossible to determine which interactions, if any, might have contributed to his demise. An intravenous solution was almost constantly attached to Jackson while he slept in an almost trance-like coma which was supposedly supervised periodically by an anethesiologist. (sp?)