The Power of Celebrity

Michael Jackson - The Power of Celebrity

First of all it is sad whenever anyone dies, sad for family, sad for friends, especially when they pass at a relatively young age. But the exercise in celebrity worship over Michael Jackson was a circus. It would have been comedic had it not been about a death. The aim of this article is not to condemn Jackson, but to point out how celebrities, the wealthy, and the powerful can get away with actions that would bring disgrace and even jail time on ordinary people. The bigger the celebrity, the greater their wealth, the more powerful the individual, the more they can get away with. Think of Henry the Eighth, the ultimate combination of celebrity, wealth and power.

The TV funeral showed clearly how some people, and especially celebrities and other “fans” can get caught up in an almost religious fervor over a celebrity who was never directly connected to their lives. Oh, maybe a few of the “big” celebrities (I won’t comment about their eulogies) met him or knew him professionally, but most of those only knew him from his performances. They came seeking the spotlight and in hope some of his celebrity might “rub off” on them.

Of course, there were those “look at me” self promoters like Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton, who appear at most newsworthy events seeking the media spotlight. Then there were some of the Hollywood crowd, darlings of the media and overflowing with tears—acting? I saw a few cuts of their actions and words on the news as I chose not to watch the media circus. Granted, Jackson displayed great talent and for that gained super celebrity status, but just look at some of the realities of his life.

He must have hated being black, something none of his “fans” ever mentioned or considered. Just look at him. He had all semblance of his racial origins changed to Caucasian. Just compare early pictures of him, before the surgeons and dermatologists reworked him into a pasty faced, non-black. Then, did he choose a black woman to mother his children? This alone should have angered or at least upset the black community. Of course, his wealth and celebrity overwhelmed any of that and the many celebrants at his funeral oozed adulation.

Then there was his notorious actions with young boys that resulted in several charges, later dropped after multi million dollar payments. In a taped interview with Martin Bashir he said about young boys, "Why can't you share your bed? The most loving thing to do, is to share your bed with someone."

The entire interview can be read at:
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=30853.

But for his celebrity and wealth he would be a registered sex offender who spent time in prison. True, there are some of these famous folks that take a fall, but these are usually minor celebrities with little wealth or power. Look at the known but well hidden parade of females Lyndon Johnson and John Kennedy had, even in the White House. Then there is Bill Clinton who did the same thing but with far less panache compared with the other two. Clinton was so crude he got caught, but even then he got away with it in spite of lying publicly to the entire nation. The dalliances of powerful public figures have been known for a very long time and will probably continue. As someone once said, “Hell, if you have enough money and power you can get away with murder.”

Such is the power of celebrity. Michael Jackson is just one example of the very different playing field the rich and famous have compared to ordinary people. There are many other obvious and a few less obvious examples. It is apparent that to the American media, celebrity, wealth and power count far more in positive news than honor, honesty, integrity or even decency. And a large number of Americans follow and believe the main stream media whose celebrities are right there amidst the Hollywood crowd. It’s no wonder instincts and emotion override logic and rationality in the judgement of so many people. “Like diarrhea, it runs in the genes.” Thinking and logic have become quite unpopular in recent years. Today with the majority of Americans it’s all about “looking good,” “following the crowd,” “being cool,” and “me first.” Oh yes, one final remark: if you happen to be a successful business person or politically a non-liberal no matter how decent, you will be reviled, cursed and condemned while your equally wealthy celebrity or leftist is admired, emulated, praised, and excused for all manner of evils. You can thank the media part of the entertainment world for that.