2061 Michael Jackson
Some former colleagues -- radio disc jockeys -- asked for impressions of “Leaving Neverland.” The HBO film revives all the old stories about how Michael Jackson um… treated young boys at his ranch. It wasn’t pretty when we first heard all this. It’s even less pretty now.
Jackson isn’t around to defend himself. But that’s not what you came here to look for, either, is it?
We live in an age of self-created and audience-created monsters. The president of the United States is chief among them. At least Michael Jackson never had the nuclear codes.
The grievances against Jackson are not earth-shaking, though, of course, if you were one of his “boys,” it certainly has shaken your own world. And if you are a professional public moralizer you have every right to every vertical inch of your high dudgeon.
What can victims do about it now? Probably not much except keep the warnings lights flashing. Maybe the next groomer of young children and their parents, the next phony good guy who “loves children” can be stopped before he starts.
It’s usually a “he,” though every once in a while you’ll find a woman teacher “loving” a high school sophomore boy.
Maybe some places will enact extended or even limitless statutes of limitation for these crimes. But just to remind… you can’t do it retroactively. Might be a good deterrent for planners of future abuse.
Radio stations in several countries are banning Jackson’s music and you have to think that America’s corporatized radio monoliths are at least thinking of that. Variety the trade newspaper tried to survey the US majors. The closest they got were limp replies about how whether to play a particular artist is a local decision left up to the individual program directors in their various markets.
Oh? Local program directors all have to call corporate headquarters any time they need a major decision. Like whether to fire the morning DJ, play Michael Jackson records and where and what to order for lunch. And some have to call for hall passes when they need to use the restroom.
These kinds of bans don’t happen often. And when they do, they’re usually short term. But if you were a fan, what do you think now.
Some comments: Well, the guy and his music and dance were two different things. If you like it, fine. If you keep liking it, fine. If you don’t want to help Neverland rebuild the fortune Jackson drained from it, by all means, download the MP3s.
But if you think this guy -- even in death -- doesn’t rate your attention, you know what to do.
SHRAPNEL:
--Former fixer Michael Cohen is taking the trump disorganization to court. In court papers, Cohen says the company stiffed him for almost $2 million in legal fees. Where have we heard about this outfit declining to pay its bills before?
--And now our semiannual word rant. Clocks go forward this weekend as we observe Daylight Saving Time. Saving, not savingS.
I’m Wes Richards. My opinions are my own but you’re welcome to them. ®
Comments to wesrichards@gmail.com
© WJR 2019
No comments:
Post a Comment